March 9, 2009
KANSAS CITY - A trio of Texas A&M men's basketball players have been named to All-Big 12 specialty teams by a panel of sportswriters who regularly cover the league.
Junior Derrick Roland (Dallas) was tabbed for the All-Defense Team, an honor he also received from the conference coaches. He helped limit Oklahoma State's James Anderson, who averages 19.4 points, to just 9.5 in two games against the Aggies. Texas' A.J. Abrams averaged 8.0 points in two games against A&M, including a season -low 7 points in the Aggies' win in College Station.
Junior Chinelemu Elonu (Houston), an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick by The Associated Press, was named to the All-Improved Team and also was named the league's most improved player by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He averaged 10.1 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds while making a school-record 65.9 percent from the field. He ranks fifth in the Big 12 in rebounding and is second in blocked shots.
Sophomore B.J. Holmes (Houston) was selected to the All-Reserve Team after averaging 8.9 points and leading the league in three-point percentage (.470) in conference play. He ranked second in free throw percentage (.860) in Big 12 games.
2009 BIG 12 SPECIALTY TEAMS
All-Freshman Quincy Acy, Baylor Robert Lewandowski, Texas Tech Marcus Morris, Kansas Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas Willie Warren, Oklahoma
All-Newcomer (transfer) Denis Clemente, Kansas State Nick Okorie, Texas Tech Juan Pattillo, Oklahoma Zaire Taylor, Missouri Jamie Vanderbeken, Iowa State
All-Defense Cole Aldrich, Kansas Ryan Anderson, Nebraska Blake Griffin, Oklahoma Derrick Roland, Texas A&M J.T. Tiller, Missouri
All-Improved Craig Brackins, Iowa State Chinemelu Elonu, Texas A&M Taylor Griffin, Oklahoma Cory Higgins, Colorado Darren Kent, Kansas State All-Reserve (tie in voting) LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor B.J. Holmes, Texas A&M Gary Johnson, Texas Keiton Page, Oklahoma State Mike Singletary, Texas Tech Paul Velander, Nebraska
All-Underrated Ade Dagunduro, Nebraska Terrel Harris, Oklahoma State Austin Johnson, Oklahoma Brady Morningstar, Kansas Jacob Pullen, Kansas State
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