MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Tigers freshman Precious Achiuwa was named the American Athletic Conference Player and Freshman of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.
The 6-foot-9 forward is the first player in conference history to win both awards in the same season.
Averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, Achiuwa is the only freshman in the country averaging a double-double.
Achiuwa and the Memphis Tigers play East Carolina in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday at 9:00 p.m. CT. in Fort Worth, Texas.
(AAC NEWS RELEASE) - The American Athletic Conference announced its men’s basketball individual honors in advance of the 2020 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship, to be held March 12-15 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Memphis freshman Precious Achiuwa was honored as The American’s Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Cincinnati redshirt-senior Trevon Scott captured three honors: Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year and the Sportsmanship Award. Tulsa head coach Frank Haith was selected as the Coach of the Year, while Golden Hurricane senior Martins Igbanu was picked as the Sixth Man of the Year.
Achiuwa becomes the first American player to earn both the Player and Freshman of the Year honors. Achiuwa is averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, the only freshman in the country to average a double-double. The forward has recorded 18 double-doubles on the season, tied for seventh in the country and first among freshmen. Achiuwa is the first Tiger to be Player of the Year, but the fourth to earn Freshman of the Year, joining Austin Nichols (2014), Dedric Lawson (2016) and K.J. Lawson (2017).
Scott is averaging 11.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, including 7.8 defensive rebounds per game, which ranks eighth in the nation. The redshirt-senior also ranks eighth in The American with 1.5 steals per game. Scott is fourth Bearcat to earn Defensive Player of the Year, joining Justin Jackson (2014) and two-time winner Gary Clark (2016 and 2018).
Haith has led Tulsa to a 21-10 record overall and a 13-5 record in league play on the way to a share of the regular season championship after being picked 10th in the coaches’ preseason poll. It is the first Coach of the Year honor for Tulsa and it is Haith’s first conference honor despite earning National Coach of the Year honors at Missouri in 2012.
Even though he comes off the bench, Igbanu leads the Golden Hurricane in scoring with 13.4 points per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field.
The awards were voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
For more information on the 2020 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship, please visit Championship Central at www.theamerican.org/mbb.
2020 American Athletic Conference Honors
Player of the Year
Precious Achiuwa, Fr., F, Memphis
Coach of the Year
Frank Haith, Tulsa
Freshman of the Year
Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year
Trevon Scott, R-Sr., F, Cincinnati
Most Improved Player of the Year
Trevon Scott, R-Sr., F, Cincinnati
Sportsmanship Award
Trevon Scott, R-Sr., F, Cincinnati
Sixth Man of the Year
Martins Igbanu, Sr., F, Tulsa
