The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Five Longhorns earn spots on Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball award teams
03.06.2016 | Men's Basketball
Prince Ibeh named Defensive Player of the Year, while Isaiah Taylor claimed a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team.
IRVING, Texas — A total of five University of Texas players earned spots on the 2015-16 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Award teams, the league office announced Sunday. The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Senior center Prince Ibeh was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Ibeh is the third UT player to earn the accolade, joining LaMarcus Aldridge in 2005-06 and Dogus Balbay in 2010-11. Junior guard Isaiah Taylor earned a spot on the five-person All-Big 12 First Team. Taylor is the first Longhorn to receive first-team all-conference recognition since J'Covan Brown in 2011-12.
Senior guard Javan Felix was one of 13 individuals to earn a place on the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team. Ibeh also was named to the six-person Big 12 All-Defensive Team, while freshmen Eric Davis Jr. and Kerwin Roach Jr. each claimed a spot on the six-person Big 12 All-Newcomer Team.
Ibeh leads the team and ranks second in the Big 12 with 60 blocked shots, including 44 rejections during UT's 18-game league schedule (2.4 bpg), and is second on the team in rebounding (5.2 rpg). Since the loss of starting center Cameron Ridley in late December to injury, Ibeh has started the last 20 games and leads the team over this span in both rebounds (6.3 rpg) and blocks (2.6 bpg) in 22.3 minutes per contest while converting 43-of-70 (.614) field goals. Ibeh was the lone unanimous selection to the six-person Big 12 All-Defensive Team.
Taylor leads the team in scoring (15.0 ppg), assists (4.8 apg), steals (28) and minutes (30.6 mpg) through the first 31 contests. He has reached double figures in scoring 24 times this year, including six 20-point games and one 30-point effort. Taylor has posted a 2.61 assist-to-turnover ratio (149 assists, 57 turnovers) and recorded at least five assists in 17 of UT's 31 games.
Felix ranks second on the team in scoring (11.0 ppg) and third in steals (26) and minutes (27.1 mpg). He has reached double figures in scoring 19 times this season, including two 20-point efforts. Felix has posted a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio (70 assists, 34 turnovers).
Davis and Roach both earned Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors twice this season. Davis ranks third on the team in scoring (7.5 ppg) while converting 39-of-104 (.375) three-pointers and 43-of-54 (.796) free throws in 20.8 minutes per game. He has reached double figures in scoring 13 times, including four of the last six contests entering postseason play. Roach is second on the team in steals (27) and fourth in scoring (7.4 ppg) and rebounding (2.8 rpg) in 17.7 minutes per game. In the last 12 games entering postseason play, Roach has averaged 10.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per contest while converting 38-of-64 (.594) field goals, including 9-of-20 (.450) from three-point range.
No. 23/22 Texas (20-11, 11-7 Big 12) opens play in the quarterfinal round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship against No. 19/17 Baylor on Thursday, March 10 in Kansas City, Mo. Tip is set for 11:30 a.m. Central at Sprint Center, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2.
2015-16 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards
Player of the Year: Buddy Hield (Oklahoma)
Defensive Player of the Year: Prince Ibeh (TEXAS)
Newcomer of the Year: Deonte Burton (Iowa State)
Freshman of the Year: Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State)
Sixth-Man Award: Jaysean Paige (West Virginia)
Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith (Texas Tech)
All-Big 12 First Team
Taurean Prince (Baylor), Georges Niang (Iowa State), Perry Ellis (Kansas), Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Isaiah Taylor (TEXAS)
All-Big 12 Second Team
Monte Morris (Iowa State), Frank Mason III (Kansas), Wayne Selden Jr. (Kansas), Jaysean Paige (West Virginia), Devin Williams (West Virginia)
All-Big 12 Third Team
Rico Gathers (Baylor), Johnathan Motley (Baylor), Wesley Iwundu (Kansas State), Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma), Ryan Spangler (Oklahoma)
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Lester Medford (Baylor), Jameel McKay (Iowa State), Abdel Nader (Iowa State), Matt Thomas (Iowa State), Devonte' Graham (Kansas), Landen Lucas (Kansas), Jordan Woodard (Oklahoma), Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State), Jeff Newberry (Oklahoma State), Javan Felix (TEXAS), Toddrick Gotcher (Texas Tech), Aaron Ross (Texas Tech), Zach Smith (Texas Tech)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Devonte' Graham (Kansas), Frank Mason III (Kansas), Wesley Iwundu (Kansas State), Khadeem Lattin (Oklahoma), Prince Ibeh (TEXAS), Jevon Carter (West Virginia)
Big 12 All-Newcomer Team
Deonte Burton (Iowa State), Barry Brown (Kansas State), Dean Wade (Kansas State), Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State), Eric Davis Jr. (TEXAS), Kerwin Roach Jr. (TEXAS)
