IRVING, Texas - Oklahoma
State guard Marcus Smart has joined an exclusive group of three
student-athletes to be named Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year in
the same season, leading the 2013 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball awards.
Jeff Withey of Kansas earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition,
while Iowa State had three major award winners - Will Clyburn (Newcomer
of the Year), Tyrus McGee (Sixth Man Award) and Melvin Ejim
(Scholar-Athlete of the Year). Bruce Weber of Kansas State was chosen
as Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Smart
becomes the third Cowboy to earn top player honors after leading OSU to
an eight-game improvement from a year ago. He is ranked in the top 10
in the Big 12 in several statistical categories, including scoring
(sixth), assists (sixth), steals (first) and free throw percentage
(fifth). His 89 steals has tied the conference's single-season thefts
record and joins Michael Beasley of K-State (2007-08) and Kevin Durant
of Texas (2006-07) as the only players to win player and rookie
accolades in the same year.
Withey
is the first player in Big 12 history to win the defensive award
outright in back-to-back seasons. He has 124 blocked shots, a total
that ranks fourth on the single-season Big 12 chart after he set the
record with 140 in 2011-12. Withey became the league's all-time career
leader in rejections this year as well with a current total of 289.
An
Iowa State student-athlete has been named Newcomer of the Year for the
second season in a row. Clyburn, a transfer from Utah, ranks fifth in
the Big 12 in scoring (15.2 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 rpg). Senior guard
Tyrus McGee is the first Cyclone to win the league's top sixth man
honor. He led the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage (.470) and
3-pointers (87) while starting just two games. His shooting percentage
from beyond the arc was second nationally in the latest NCAA rankings.
Ejim
is the first Big 12 men's basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A
new award this season across all sports, the junior led the Big 12 in
rebounding with 9.3 per game. He boasts a 3.74 GPA in the classroom as a
history major and was recently named a Capital One Academic
All-District 6 and Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection.
Weber
is the second Wildcat mentor to win Big 12 Coach of the Year. In his
first year in Manhattan, he guided the Wildcats to a share of the Big 12
regular season title - their first conference crown since 1977.
K-State's 25 overall wins were the most in school history by a
first-year head coach and the ‘Cats 14 league wins tied the school
record set by the 1958-59 squad (14-0).
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. Withey was a repeat choice on the defensive team, the
seventh player in Big 12 history to be a two-time honoree.
The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, G, Fr., 6-4, 225, Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jeff Withey, Kansas, C, Sr., 7-0, 235, San Diego, Calif./Horizon**
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Will Clyburn, Iowa State, G, Sr., 6-7, 205, Detroit, Mich./Romulus/Marshalltown CC/Utah
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, G, Fr., 6-4, 225, Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus**
SIXTH MAN AWARD
Tyrus McGee, Iowa State, G, Sr., 6-2, 205, Stringtown, Okla./Stringtown/Cowley County CC
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Melvin Ejim, Iowa State, F, Jr., 6-6, 220, Toronto, Ontario/Brewster Academy [N.H.]
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bruce Weber, Kansas State [Career: 338-161, 15th season; At K-State: 25-6, 1st season]
All-Big 12 First Team Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s)
Ben McLemore, Kansas G 6-5 185 Fr. St. Louis, Mo./Christian Life Center [Texas]
Jeff Withey, Kansas C 7-0 235 Sr. San Diego, Calif./Horizon
Rodney McGruder, Kansas State G 6-4 205 Sr. Washington, D.C./Arlington Country Day [Fla.]
Romero Osby, Oklahoma F 6-8 232 Meridian, Miss./Mississippi State University
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State G 6-4 225 Fr. Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus
All-Big 12 Second Team Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s)
Pierre
Jackson, Baylor G 5-10 180 Sr.
Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Pines/ College of Southern Idaho
Will Clyburn, Iowa State G 6-7 205 Sr. Detroit, Mich./Romulus/Marshalltown CC/Utah
Travis Releford, Kansas G 6-6 210 Sr. Kansas City, Mo./Bishop Miege
Angel Rodriguez, Kansas State G 5-11 180 So. San Juan, Puerto Rico/Krop [Fla.]
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State G 6-3 190 Jr. Alexandria, La./Peabody
All-Big 12 Third Team Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s)
Isaiah Austin, Baylor C 7-1 220 Fr. Arlington, Texas/Grace Preparatory Academy
Melvin Ejim, Iowa State F 6-6 220 Jr. Toronto, Ontario/Brewster Academy [N.H]
Amath M'Baye, Oklahoma F 6-9 208 Jr. Bordeaux, France/University of Wyoming
Steven Pledger, Oklahoma G 6-4 219 Sr. Chesapeake, Va./Atlantic Shores Christian School
Le'Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State G/F 6-7 230 So. Dallas, Texas/Lincoln
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school)
Cory
Jefferson (Baylor), Korie Lucious (Iowa State), Tyrus McGee (Iowa
State), Elijah Johnson (Kansas), Shane Southwell (Kansas State), Michael
Cobbins (Oklahoma State), Jaye Crockett (Texas Tech), Eron Harris (West
Virginia), Deniz Kilicli (West Virginia)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s)
Chris Babb, Iowa State G 6-5 225 Sr. Arlington, Texas/The Oakridge School/Penn State
Travis Releford, Kansas G 6-6 210 Sr. Kansas City, Mo./Bishop Miege
Jeff Withey, Kansas** C 7-0 235 Sr. San Diego, Calif./Horizon
Angel Rodriguez, Kansas State G 5-11 180 So. San Juan, Puerto Rico/Krop [Fla.]
Michael Cobbins, Oklahoma State F 6-8 220 So. Amarillo, Texas/Palo Duro
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State** G 6-4 225 Fr. Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus
Big 12 All-Rookie Team Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s)
Isaiah Austin, Baylor C 7-1 220 Fr. Arlington, Texas/Grace Preparatory Academy
Will Clyburn, Iowa State G 6-7 205 Sr. Detroit, Mich./Romulus/Marshalltown CC/Utah
Georges Niang, Iowa State F 6-7 235 Fr. Methuen, Mass./The Tilton School
Ben McLemore, Kansas** G 6-5 185 Fr. St. Louis, Mo./Christian Life Center [Texas]
Amath M'Baye, Oklahoma F 6-9 208 Jr. Bordeaux, France/University of Wyoming
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State** G 6-4 225 Fr. Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus
** - Unanimous Selection
Ties in the voting created an additional spot on the All-Defensive and All-Rookie Teams
