March 04, 2007
Texas A&M Coach Billy Gillispie has been named Big 12 Coach of the Year and senior Acie Law IV has been selected first-team All-Big 12, highlighting the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards.
The official All-Big 12 awards were selected by the league's head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for anyone from their own teams.
A&M junior Joseph Jones was a second-team all-conference pick while sophomore Josh Carter and senior Antanas Kavaliauskas made honorable mention. Junior Dominique Kirk was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. This is only the second time in school history and the first time since 1969 that four A&M players have received all-conference citations. Big 12 champion Kansas also had four players selected.
For Gillispie, it was the second time in three years he has been named the Big 12's top coach. He guided the Aggies to their best finish in league history with a 13-3 mark and needs just one win to match the school record for overall victories in a season. The Aggies have been ranked in the top 10 nationally for much of the year.
Law ranked second in the Big 12 in scoring with a 20.8 average. He also ranked third in the league in assists (4.9), third in field goal percentage (.509), eighth in free throw percentage (.798) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.05). A top All-America candidate, Law is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard and is a semifinalist for the Wooden and Naismith Awards as the nation's top player. He is the second A&M player to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors, joining Antoine Wright (2005).
Jones is averaging 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds and ranks third in the Big 12 in free throw accuracy (.821). Kavaliauskas is averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds and leads the league in field goal percentage (.580). Carter leads the nation in three-point percentage (.519) and is averaging 12.5 points per game. He has made a school-record 80 three-pointers this season.
Texas' Kevin Durant earned double honors as the Big 12's player and freshman of the year. Kansas' Mario Chalmers and Oklahoma State's Marcus Dove shared the Defensive Player of the Year award, while Missouri's Stefhon Hannah was tabbed Newcomer of the Year and Kansas State's Cartier Martin nabbed the Sixth Man Award.
Joining Law on the first-team all-conference squad were Durant, Kansas' Brandon Rush and Julian Wright, Oklahoma State's Mario Boggan and Texas Tech's Jarrius Jackson.
2006-07 PHILLIPS 66 ALL-BIG 12 MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Durant, Texas, F/G, Fr., 6-9, 225, Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Mario Chalmers, Kansas, G, So., 6-1, 195, Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett
Marcus Dove, Oklahoma State, G/F, Jr., 6-9, 215, Long Beach, Calif./Millikan
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
**Stefhon Hannah, Missouri, G, Jr., 6-0, 175, Chicago, Ill./Chipola CC/Hyde Park
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
**Kevin Durant, Texas, F/G, Fr., 6-9, 225, Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
SIXTH MAN AWARD
Cartier Martin, Kansas State, G/F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Houston, Texas/Nimitz
COACH OF THE YEAR
Billy Gillispie, Texas A&M (Career: 98-56 - 5th season; At A&M: 68-24 -3rd season)
All-Big 12 First Team
Brandon Rush, Kansas G 6-6 210 So. Kansas City, Mo./Mt. Zion Academy (N.C.)
Julian Wright, Kansas F 6-8 225 So. Chicago Heights, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor
Mario Boggan, Okla. St. F/C 6-7 240 Sr. Durham, N.C./Hargrave Military Academy/Chipola CC
Kevin Durant, Texas** F/G 6-9 225 Fr. Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
Acie Law, Texas A&M** G 6-3 195 Sr. Dallas, Texas/Kimball
Jarrius Jackson, T. Tech G 6-2 185 Sr. Monroe, La./Ouachita
All-Big 12 Second Team
David Hoskins, K-State G/F 6-5 225 Jr. Canton, Mich./Plymouth Salem/Schoolcraft
Cartier Martin, K-State G/F 6-7 220 Sr. Houston, Texas/Nimitz
Aleks Maric, Nebraska C 6-11 270 Jr. Sydney, Australia/Australian Inst. for Sport
D.J. Augustin, Texas G 5-11 175 Fr. New Orleans, La./Brother Martin
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M F 6-9 250 Jr. Normangee, Texas/Normangee
All-Big 12 Third Team
Mario Chalmers, Kansas G 6-1 195 So. Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett
Stefhon Hannah, Missouri G 6-0 175 Jr. Chicago, Ill./Chipola CC/Hyde Park
Nate Carter, Oklahoma F 6-6 220 Sr. San Diego, Calif./UC Riverside
JamesOn Curry, Okla. St. G 6-3 190 Jr. Pleasant Grove, N.C./Eastern Alamance
Martin Zeno, Texas Tech G 6-5 208 Jr. Sulphur, La./Sulphur
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school)
Aaron Bruce (Baylor), Curtis Jerrells (Baylor), Richard Roby (Colorado),
Mike Taylor (Iowa State), Darrell Arthur (Kansas), Sherron Collins
(Kansas), A.J. Abrams (Texas), Josh Carter (Texas A&M), Antanas
Kavaliauskas (Texas A&M)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Mario Chalmers, Kansas G 6-1 195 So. Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett
Russell Robinson, Kansas G 6-1 200 Jr. New York, N.Y./Rice
Marcus Dove, Okla. St. G/F 6-9 215 Sr. Long Beach, Calif./Millikan
Kevin Durant, Texas F/G 6-9 225 Fr. Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
Dominique Kirk, A&M G 6-3 180 Jr. Dallas, Texas/Bryan Adams
Big 12 All-Rookie Team
Wesley Johnson, Iowa St. F 6-7 195 Fr. Corsicana, Texas/Patterson School (N.C.)
Darrell Arthur, Kansas F 6-9 230 Fr. Dallas, Texas/South Oak Cliff
Sherron Collins, Kansas** G 5-11 200 Fr. Chicago, Ill./Crane
Stefhon Hannah, Missouri G 6-0 175 Jr. Chicago, Ill./Chipola CC/Hyde Park
Kevin Durant, Texas** F/G 6-9 225 Fr. Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
D.J. Augustin, Texas** G 5-11 175 Fr. New Orleans, La./Brother Martin
** - Unanimous Selection
Ties in the voting created additional spots for Defensive Player of the Year and on the first team and all-rookie team