Photo Credit: Kelsie VanderWijst
Morgantown- West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year on Sunday and senior guard Juwan Staten was named to the All-Big 12 first team for the second straight year.
Huggins won a league’s coach of the year award for the 11th time in his illustrious 33-year coaching career. It is the first time he has won the honor in the Big 12.
Huggins becomes the first West Virginia men’s basketball coach in 33 years to be honored as coach of the year.
West Virginia finished the 2014-15 season with a 23-8 regular-season record and they finished tied for fourth in the Big 12 with Baylor (11-7). The league is rated the No.1 RPI league in Division I basketball.
The Mountaineers won 20 games for the first time in four seasons and will be making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2012.
While others may be surprised in West Virginia’s season, the 61-year-old coach is not surprised in his team’s success.
“I really honestly thought we could win it (Big 12 title),” Huggins said after Saturday’s win over Oklahoma State. “I thought playing the way we were going to play, we could win. People want to be like are you surprised? I am really not surprised.”
Staten is averaging a team-best 14.5 points and 4.6 assists per game. He averages 13.1 points in Big 12 action.
The Dayton native also earned first team all-conference honors last year as a junior.
Freshman Jevon Carter was named to the all-Big 12 defensive team and forward Devin Williams was an all-conference honorable mention selection.
2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball Awards:
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jameel McKay, Iowa State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
TaShawn Thomas, Oklahoma
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Myles Turner, Texas
SIXTH MAN AWARD
Taurean Prince, Baylor
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Huggins, West Virginia
ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM
Rico Gathers, Baylor
Georges Niang, Iowa State
Perry Ellis, Kansas
Buddy, Hield Oklahoma
Juwan Staten, West Virginia
ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM
Kenny Cherry, Baylor
Taurean Prince, Baylor
Monte Morris, Iowa State
Frank Mason III, Kansas
Le’Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State
ALL-BIG 12 THIRD TEAM
Jameel McKay, Iowa State
TaShawn Thomas, Oklahoma
Phil Forte, Oklahoma State
Isaiah Taylor, Texas
Myles Turner, Texas
ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTIONS (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY BY SCHOOL)
Dustin Hogue (Iowa State), Kelly Oubre (Kansas), Wayne Selden (Kansas), Marcus Foster (Kansas State), Thomas Gipson (Kansas State), Nino Williams (Kansas State), Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma), Ryan Spangler (Oklahoma), Kyan Anderson (TCU), Jonathan Holmes (Texas), Devin Williams (West Virginia)
BIG 12 ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Rico Gathers, Baylor
Jameel McKay, Iowa State
Michael Cobbins, Oklahoma State
Anthony Hickey, Oklahoma State
Myles Turner, Texas
Jevon Carter, West Virginia
BIG 12 ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Jameel McKay, Iowa State
Kelly Oubre, Kansas
TaShawn Thomas, Oklahoma
Anthony Hickey, Oklahoma State
Myles Turner, Texas
