Jared Cunningham named to all-conference first team
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State junior guard Jared Cunningham was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team for the first time in his career and the All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season as selected by a vote of the 12 conference coaches, Commissioner Larry Scott announced on Monday.
Cunningham leads the Pac-12 in scoring (18.2) and steals (2.6) and could become just the sixth player in conference history to lead the league in both categories in the same season. He scored 30 or more points in three games this season, including a career-high 37 in a 100-95 overtime win over Texas in the TicketCity Legends Classic, and had a steal in 28 consecutive games dating back to last season, the third longest streak in Oregon State history.
He is the first Oregon State player to be named to the first team since David Lucas in 2005 and the first since Lucas to receive all-conference honors in back-to-back seasons as Cunningham was a second team selection last year.
Cunningham made the All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive year after receiving the recognition last year when he led the conference in steals. It's the third straight year an Oregon State player has made the team as Seth Tarver was honored in 2009-10 when he was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
Forty-three Oregon State players have earned All-Conference honors and the Beavers now have 61 total selections since the teams were first announced in 1916.
Cunningham became the 37th player in Oregon State history to hit the 1,000-point plateau and is currently 21st on the list with 1,173 points. He was named Pac-12 Player of the Week twice this season, was a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award and moved into the top-five on the Beavers' career steals (tied for second with 205), career free throws made (third with 407) and career free throws attempted (fifth with 533) lists.
In other Pac-12 honors, Jorge Gutierrez of California was named Men's Basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Washington's Tony Wroten was named Freshman of the Year, Brock Motum of Washington State earned Most Improved Player of the Year and Washington's Lorenzo Romar was selected the Coach of the Year.
The Complete Conference Honors:
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Name School Pos Yr Ht Wt Hometown (Last School)
Allen Crabbe CAL G So. 6-6 205 Los Angeles, Calif. (Price HS)
Jared Cunningham OSU G Jr. 6-4 182 Oakland, Calif. (San Leandro HS)
Kyle Fogg ARIZ G Sr. 6-3 190 Brea, Calif. (Brea Olinda HS)
Jorge Gutierrez CAL G Sr. 6-3 195 Chihuahua, Mexico (Findlay College Prep, Nev.)
Solomon Hill ARIZ F Jr. 6-6 226 Los Angeles, Calif. (Fairfax HS)
Devoe Joseph ORE G Sr. 6-4 180 Pickering, Ont., Canada (Minnesota)
Brock Motum WSU F Jr. 6-10 230 Brisbane, Aus. (Australia Institute of Sport)
André Roberson COLO F So. 6-7 210 San Antonio, Texas (Wagner HS)
Terrence Ross WASH G So. 6-6 195 Portland, Ore. (Jefferson HS)
Tony Wroten WASH G Fr. 6-4 205 Seattle, Wash. (Garfield HS)
SECOND TEAM
Name School Pos Yr Ht Wt Hometown (Last School)
Carlon Brown COLO G Sr. 6-5 215 Riverside, Calif. (Utah)
Lazeric Jones UCLA G Sr. 6-0 187 Chicago, Ill. (John A. Logan College)
Harper Kamp CAL F Sr. 6-8 245 Mesa, Ariz. (Mountain View HS)
Josh Owens STAN F Sr. 6-8 230 Kennesaw, Ga. (Phillips Exeter Academy)
E.J. Singler ORE F Jr. 6-6 210 Medford, Ore. (South Medford HS)
Honorable Mention (receiving at least three votes): Justin Cobbs (CAL, So., G), Reggie Moore (WSU, Jr., G), Jesse Perry (ARIZ, Sr., F), Garrett Sim (ORE, Sr., G), David Wear (UCLA, So., F), C.J. Wilcox (WASH, So., G).
PAC-12 ALL-FRESHMEN TEAM
Name School Pos Ht Wt Hometown (Last School)
Spencer Dinwiddie COLO G 6-5 190 Woodland Hills, Calif. (Taft HS)
Nick Johnson ARIZ G 6-2 195 Gilbert, Ariz. (Findlay Prep)
David Kravish CAL F 6-9 210 Lee’s Summit, Mo. (Lee’s Summit North HS)
Chasson Randle STAN G 6-1 170 Rock Island, Ill. (Rock Island HS)
Tony Wroten WASH G 6-4 205 Seattle, Wash. (Garfield HS)
Honorable Mention (receiving at least three votes): DaVonté Lacy (WSU, G), Josiah Turner (ARIZ, G).
PAC-12 ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Name School Pos Yr. Ht Wt Hometown (Last School)
Jared Cunningham OSU G Jr. 6-4 182 Oakland, Calif. (San Leandro HS)
Kyle Fogg ARIZ G Sr. 6-3 190 Brea, Calif. (Brea Olinda HS)
Jorge Gutierrez CAL G Sr. 6-3 195 Chihuahua, Mexico (Findlay College Prep, Nev.)
Aziz N’Diaye WASH C Jr. 7-0 260 Senegal, Senegal (College of Southern Idaho)
André Roberson COLO F So. 6-7 210 San Antonio, Texas (Wagner HS)
Honorable Mention (receiving at least three votes): Marcus Capers (WSU, Sr., G), Josh Huestis (STAN, So., F), Tony Woods (ORE, Jr., C)
Pac-12 Player of the Year
Gutierrez becomes the sixth Cal player to earn Pac-12 Player of the Year, and first since 2010, joining Jason Kidd (1994), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996), Ed Gray (1997), Sean Lampley (2001), and Jerome Randle (2010). Gutierrez was second on the team in scoring (12.9 ppg/12th in Pac-12), led the Golden Bears in steals (36 total, 1.2 spg/12th in Pac-12) and is 9th in the Pac-12 in defensive rebounds with an average of 4.5. He is the active Pac-12 career leader for assists (408), is second in steals (145) and is third for points (1,189).
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
Wroten becomes the fifth Washington player to earn Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and first since 2009, joining Chris Welp (1984), Mike Hayward (1988), Mark Pope (1992) and Isaiah Thomas (2009). Wroten was a key piece all season for Pac-12 regular season champion Washington, leading the Huskies in scoring (16.3 ppg/4th in Pac-12) and steals (59 total, 2.0 spg/2nd in Pac-12), and was second in assists (3.7 apg/8th in Pac-12). He posted nine 20-point games this season, second behind only Jared Cunningham's 10. Wroten was the only freshman to be named Player of the Week this season, and the first freshman to earn that honor since USC's O.J. Mayo in February 2008.
Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year
As noted above, Gutierrez was key on defense for the Golden Bears this year, who allowed their opponents only 61.2 points per game overall. As a team, Cal is in the league top-three for field goal percentage defense (.408), three-point percentage defense (.324) and rebounding defense (30.5). Gutierrez led the team in steals (36 total, 1.2 spg/12th in Pac-12) and is 9th in the Pac-12 in defensive rebounds with an average of 4.5. He is the second Cal player to earn the honor, with Butch Hays getting the award in 1984.
Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year
Motum was second in scoring in the Pac-12 (18.1 ppg), was in the league top-10 for field goal percentage (.549) and was one of the top rebounders in the conference (6.5 rpg) this season. Motum's numbers took a monumental leap this year, improving from 2.9 points/.8 rebounds as a freshman and 7.6 points/3.0 rebounds as a sophomore. He had three 20-point games and had three double-doubles this season.
Pac-12 Coach of the Year
Romar guided Washington to its second Pac-12 title under his watch and the first since 2009, with a 14-4 league mark and 21-9 overall record. Under Romar, the Huskies put together their fourth consecutive 20-win season and the sixth of his tenure at Washington. This is Romar's third Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor, with his first coming in 2005 and his second in 2009. He's the third Washington coach to receive Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors, joining two-time honoree Marv Harshman (1982, 1984) and Bob Bender (1996). Romar has a career record of 309-199 (.608), while his Washington record stands at 216-111 (.661).
THE VOTE: Coach of the Year, All-Conference, All-Freshman, All-Defensive teams and Most Improved Player are voted on by the coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for themselves or their own players for the honors.
