McCray Earns All-Big 12 and Freshman All-America Honors

Freshman guard Joe McCray picked up a trio of conference and national awards on Monday. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native was named honorable-mention All-Big 12 by the league's coaches, was selected honorable-mention Freshman All-America by Rivals.com and was also among the five rookies picked for the Big 12 All-Freshman Team by the league's sportswriters.

 

McCray was one of five freshman to earn All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches, including four honorable-mention selections. He is the first Nebraska freshman to earn an All-Big 12 honor since the formation of the conference before the 1996-97 season. Overall, McCray is the 12th Husker to be named honorable-mention All-Big 12, while three players have earned eight first, second- or third-team All-Big 12 awards.

 

A 6-5, 210-pound guard, McCray paced the Huskers in scoring during the regular season with 15.3 points per game while leading the squad with 31 steals. McCray has set several Nebraska freshman records, including most 20-point scoring games (9), most consecutive double-figure scoring games (9) and three-pointers in a season (77). He also ranks sixth in NU freshman history with 132 rebounds to rank third on the team with 4.9 boards per game. He is second in the conference in three-pointers per game (2.85) and ranks in the top 10 for field-goal percentage (40.1) and three-point field-goal percentage (35.8).

 

Along with the Big 12 honor, McCray was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team by the league's sportswriters. McCray was one of seven freshmen selected as there was a tie in the voting. Joining McCray on the team were: Daniel Gibson (Texas), Aaron Bruce (Baylor), JamesOn Curry (OklahomaState), Joseph Jones (Texas A&M), Richard Roby (Colorado) and Martin Zeno (Texas Tech).

 

McCray also picked up a national honor on Monday as he was named honorable-mention Freshman All-America by Rivals.com. The recruiting service selected All-America first-, second and third-teams in addition to the honorable-mention squad. McCray was one of 12 rookies selected for the honorable-mention team, and was one of six freshmen from the Big 12 Conference named to one of the squads. Only Texas' Daniel Gibson (first team) and Baylor's Aaron Bruce (second team) were selected higher.

 

McCray leads the Huskers into postseason play this week as Nebraska, the No. 9 seed, takes on No. 8-seed Missouri at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 10, at Kemper Arena in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament in Kansas City.

 

 

2004-05 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards

Player of the Year

Wayne Simien, Kansas, Sr., F, 6-9, 255, Leavenworth, Kan./Leavenworth**

Newcomer of the Year

Taj Gray, Oklahoma, Jr., F, 6-9, 235, Wichita, Kan./Redlands (Okla.) CC

Rookie of the Year

Daniel Gibson, Texas, Fr., G, 6-2, 190, Houston, Texas/Jones

Coach of the Year

Billy Gillispie ? At A&M: First Season, 19-8 (.703); Career: Third Season, 49-40 (.551)

 

All-Big 12 First Team

Wayne Simien, Kansas**, Sr., F

Taj Gray, Oklahoma, Jr., F

Joey Graham, OklahomaState**, Sr., F

John Lucas, OklahomaState, Sr., G

Ronald Ross, Texas Tech, Sr., G

 

All-Big 12 Second Team

Curtis Stinson, IowaState, So., G

Keith Langford, Kansas, Sr., G

Jeremiah Massey, KansasState, Sr., F

Brad Buckman, Texas, Jr., F

Antoine Wright, Texas A&M, Jr., F

 

All-Big 12 Third Team

Jared Homan, IowaState, Sr., C

Aaron Miles, Kansas, Sr., G

Kevin Bookout, Oklahoma Jr. F

Daniel Gibson, Texas, Fr., G

Jarrius Jackson, Texas Tech, So., G

 

All-Big 12 Honorable Mention

(Listed alphabetically by school)

Aaron Bruce, Baylor, Fr., G

Richard Roby, Colorado, Fr., G

Linas Kleiza, Missouri, So., F

Joe McCray, Nebraska, Fr., G

Terrell Everett, Oklahoma, Jr., G

Ivan McFarlin, OklahomaState, Sr., F

Joseph Jones, Texas A&M, Fr., C
Acie Law, Texas A&M, So., G

** - Unanimous Selection

 

2004-05 Big 12 All-Freshman Team

(voted on by sportwriters who cover the league on a regular basis)

Aaron Bruce, Baylor

JamesOn Curry, OklahomaState

Daniel Gibson, Texas

Joseph Jones, Texas A&M

Joe McCray, Nebraska

Richard Roby, Colorado

Martin Zeno, Texas Tech

 

2005 Rivals.com Freshman All-America Team

First Team

Glen Davis, LSU, 6-9, F

Jordan Farmer, UCLA, 6-2, G

Daniel Gibson, Texas, 6-2, G

Darius Washington, Memphis, 6-2, G

 

Second Team

Aaron Bruce, Baylor, 6-3, G

Rudy Gay, Connecticut, 6-9, F

Jeff Green, Georgetown, 6-8, F

Sean Singletary, Virginia, 6-0, G

D.J. White, Indiana, 6-9, F

 

Third Team

Toney Douglas, Auburn, 6-1, G

Malik Hariston, Oregon, 6-6, F

Chris Lofton, Tennessee, 6-2, G

Juan Palacios, Louisville, 6-8, F

Rajon Rondo, Kentucky, 6-1, G

 

Honorable Mention

(Listed alphabetically by school)

Jaycee Carroll (Utah State)

JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State)

Cliff Hammonds (Clemson)

Joseph Jones (Texas A&M)

Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky)

Joe McCray (Nebraska)

Gabe Pruitt (USC)

Richard Roby (Colorado)

Ron Steele (Alabama)

Bryce Taylor (Oregon)

Darian Townes (Arkansas)

Martin Zeno (Texas Tech)