Irving, Texas – Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver earned the program’s first Player of the Year honor while Chris Beard was selected Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, headlining the 2018-19 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball awards.
Barry Brown, Jr. (K-State) was named Defensive Player of the Year while Dedric Lawson (Kansas) was voted Newcomer of the Year and Jaxson Hayes (Texas) captured Freshman of the Year. Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State) picked up the Sixth Man Award and Kristian Doolittle (Oklahoma) was voted as the Most Improved Player, a new award presented by the Conference.
Culver helped the Red Raiders to a share of their first Big 12 regular season title. The sophomore guard ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring (18.3 ppg), fifth in assists (3.6) and is 10th in rebounding (6.2).
Brown is recognized as K-State’s defensive stopper and holds the school record in steals. He ranks first in the Big 12 in steals (2.0) and is fifth in scoring (15.1). He helped the Wildcats to a share of their second Big 12 regular season championship.
In his first season with the Jayhawks, Lawson leads the Big 12 in scoring (19.1), rebounding (10.6) and double-doubles (20). He is the only player in the Conference averaging a double-double.
True freshman Hayes has started 21 of 30 games for the Longhorns. He leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.728), is fourth in blocks (2.2) and free throw percentage (.823), 26th in scoring (10.3) and 13th in rebounds (5.4).
As Iowa State’s first player off the bench, Wigginton is second on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg). An early season injury sidelined him for six weeks. Since regaining his form, the sophomore guard has averaged over 15 points in the last 12 games while shooting 48 percent from the field.
Doolittle has made a much bigger impact for the Sooners during his junior season with 11 ppg and 6.9 rpg while playing in every game with 28 starts. In his sophomore year he started just six games with averages of 2.9 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Beard led Texas Tech to a share of the Big 12 championship in just his third season after tying for second last year. The No. 8 Red Raiders are currently 26-5 overall and finished 14-4 in league play on a nine-game winning streak.
Culver, Brown and Lawson were unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selections and joined on the first team by Marial Shayok (Iowa State) and Dean Wade (K-State). Wade is the only repeat first team selection from last season.
The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
ALL-BIG 12 AWARDS
Player of the Year: Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech
Coach of the Year: Chris Beard, Texas Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Barry Brown, Kansas State
Freshman of the Year: Jaxson Hayes, Texas
Sixth Man Award: Lindell Wigginton, Iowa State
Most Improved: Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma
All-Big 12 First team: Marial Shayok, Iowa State; Dedric Lawson, Kansas; Barry Brown, Kansas State; Dean Wade, Kansas State; Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech
Second team: Makai Mason, Baylor; Jaxson Hayes, Texas; Desmond Bane, TCU; Matt Mooney, Texas Tech; Derek Culver, West Virginia
Third team: Devon Dotson, Kansas; Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma; Christian James, Oklahoma; Alex Robinson, TCU; Davide Moretti, Texas Tech
Honorable mention (alphabetically by school): Jared Butler (Baylor), Mario Kegler (Baylor), Mark Vital (Baylor), Talen Horton-Tucker (Iowa State), Nick Weiler-Babb (Iowa State), Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State), Xavier Sneed (Kansas State), Kamau Stokes (Kansas State), Brady Manek (Oklahoma), Cameron McGriff (Oklahoma State), Lindy Waters (Oklahoma State), Kouat Noi (TCU), Matt Coleman III (Texas), Kerwin Roach II (Texas), Tariq Owens (Texas Tech)
All-Defensive team: Mark Vital, Baylor; Marcus Garrett, Kansas; Barry Brown, Jr., Kansas State; Jaxson Hayes, Texas; Matt Mooney, Texas Tech; Tariq Owens, Texas Tech (A tie in voting created an additional spot)
All-Newcomer team: Makai Mason, Baylor; Marial Shayok, Iowa State; Dedric Lawson, Kansas; Jaxson Hayes, Texas; Matt Mooney, Texas Tech
All-Freshman team: Jared Butler, Baylor; Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State; Devon Dotson, Kansas; Jaxson Hayes, Texas; Derek Culver, West Virginia
— Big 12 Press Release —