Self, Rush Highlight Big 12 Awards List
March 6, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
The Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Awards were announced by the league office today, and Brandon Rush was awarded Freshman of the Year honors while Bill Self was named Coach of the Year. Rush was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team. Freshmen Mario Chalmers and Julian Wright were Honorable Mention selections. The All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Rush is the first freshman in conference history to be named to the All-Big 12 First Team. The top scoring freshman in the conference with 15.1 points per game, Rush also ranks seventh with a 6.6 rebounding average. He is the fourth KU player to surpass 400 points (408) in his freshman season. The native of Kansas City, Mo., is the second Jayhawk to win freshman accolades (Jeff Boschee, 1998-99).
Self wins his first Big 12 coaching honor and the third for a Jayhawk mentor. After returning just 21.2 percent of his scoring from a year ago, Self guided KU to a share of the Big 12 regular season championship, its sixth in league annals. Starting three freshmen and two sophomores, Kansas recorded its 18th straight season with at least 22 victories.
The All-Big 12 First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention teams were also announced, while conference coaches also selected All-Defensive and All-Rookie Teams for the first time.
2005-06 PHILLIPS 66 ALL-BIG 12 MEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
P.J. Tucker, Texas, F, Jr., 6-5, 225, Raleigh, N.C./Enloe
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas, F, So., 6-10, 237, Dallas, Texas/Seagoville
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Michael Neal, Oklahoma, G, Jr., 6-3, 191, Mesquite, Texas/Lon Morris Junior College
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Brandon Rush, Kansas, G, Fr., 6-6, 202, Kansas City, Mo./Mt. Zion Academy (N.C.)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bill Self, Kansas
Overall Record: 276-128; 13th season Record at Kansas: 69-23; 3rd Season
All-Big 12 First Team
Richard Roby, Colorado
Brandon Rush, Kansas
LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas
P.J. Tucker, Texas**
Jarrius Jackson, Texas Tech
All-Big 12 Second Team
Curtis Stinson, Iowa State
Cartier Martin, Kansas State
Terrell Everett, Oklahoma
Taj Gray, Oklahoma
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
All-Big 12 Third Team
Will Blalock, Iowa State
Thomas Gardner, Missouri
Brad Buckman, Texas
Daniel Gibson, Texas
Acie Law, Texas A&M
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school)
Aaron Bruce (Baylor), Mario Chalmers & Julian Wright (Kansas), Jimmy McKinney (Missouri), Aleks Maric & Wes Wilkinson (Nebraska), Kevin Bookout & Michael Neal (Oklahoma), Mario Boggan & JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State), Martin Zeno (Texas Tech)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Russell Robinson, Kansas
Taj Gray, Oklahoma
LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas
P.J. Tucker, Texas
Big 12 All-Rookie Team
Curtis Jerrells, Baylor
Mario Chalmers, Kansas**
Brandon Rush, Kansas**
Julian Wright, Kansas
Michael Neal, Oklahoma
** – Unanimous Selection
