ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Ten standout players representing seven conferences have been selected to the 2011-12 U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-America Team. The first team consists of five forwards, as the USBWA selects the nation's top five players regardless of position. Ohio State sophomore Jared Sullinger, last season's winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award as the National Freshman of the Year, is the lone repeat selection.
Sullinger, who averaged 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, is joined by freshman phenom Anthony Davis of Kentucky, was has led the Wildcats to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament with 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. Michigan State senior Draymond Green (16.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg) sparked the Spartans to the Big Ten tournament title and a No. 1 seed, while Creighton's sharp-shooting sophomore Doug McDermott (23.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 61.0 field goal percentage, 49.5 3-point field goal percentage) and Kansas' junior upstart Thomas Robinson (17.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg) have also earned first-team honors.
The second team consists of Murray State junior guard Isaiah Canaan (19.2 ppg, 3.7 apg), Missouri senior guard Marcus Denmon (17.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg), West Virginia senior forward Kevin Jones (20.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg), Kentucky freshman forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (11.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg), and North Carolina senior forward Tyler Zeller (16.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg).
The Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC each boast a pair of All-Americans. Other conferences represented on the All-America team are the ACC, Big East, Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley.
Each of the first-team selections is among the Oscar Robertson Trophy finalists. The USBWA's National Player of the Year Award, as well as the Henry Iba Award, presented to the National Coach of the Year, will be announced next Monday, March 19. Both prestigious awards will be formally presented on Friday, March 30, at the 2012 USBWA College Basketball Awards Breakfast at the New Orleans Marriott in conjunction with the NCAA Men's Final Four.
On Tuesday, the USBWA will announce the winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award to be presented to the national freshman of the year. Both Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist are among the finalists for the honor.
Following is the complete 2011-12 USBWA All-America team:
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its All-America team, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-444-4325.
Related links:
2011-12 USBWA All-District teams
· All-time USBWA All-America teams