2006 SEC Men’s Basketball Awards Announced

March 8, 2006

Nashville, Tenn. – Pacing the Gamecocks with 15.5 ppg this season, South Carolina senior forward Tarence Kinsey has been named to the Coaches All-SEC second team. The Southeastern Conference unveiled its men’s basketball postseason awards Wednesday to cap off another exciting season in league history. The announcement was made on the eve of the SEC Tournament where South Carolina will face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thur., March 9 at 1 pm (EST) in Gaylor Entertainment Center.

“It is a good accomplishment. Truthfully, when Coach Odom told me I was shocked,” said Kinsey, a Jefferson High School graduate who will finish his degree at Carolina in May. “I couldn’t have gotten it without the team and them letting me shoot and the coaches having faith in me. (do you play for that honor?) When you hit the peak of your career, you always want to become one of the best in the league. You think about it, but it’s nothing you play for each game. (What does it mean for other coaches to recognize you for his honor?): It feels good. Some of those coaches didn’t recruit me and to be recognized by them shows they think when it comes to game time you are one of the players in this league that can get it done. That means a lot.”

“He is truthfully one of the best players in the league. I know what the selections say – but he gets my vote for best in the league,” said junior guard Tre’ Kelley. “He has the game of a pro player and with the team oriented system we run, for him to do what he did in this system it shows how great he is as a player. (Is he a good leader?): He works on his leadership skills as far as being more verbal. He has really worked hard on his game. He’s worked a lot on his defense. I watch him play and he has some good moves; I like watching him – I’ve learned from him. (What has he taught you?): To be more verbal.”

Kinsey heads up the Gamecock cause with 15.5 ppg. Kinsey leads USC in scoring in every way you figure it: SEC games (15.4 ppg), wins (16.1 ppg), losses (14.9 ppg), home (15.3 ppg), away (14.8 ppg) and neutral (21.0 ppg). Kinsey also leads the team in mpg (34.2), 3pt % (39.3%) and free throw % (87.3%). He is second in steals (1.3) and third in assists (2.0). Kinsey is 9-15 from 3 pt land in the past two games after going 3-26 in the five previous games. He has hit at least one three in 24 games this season.

Kinsey is No. 22 nationally in free throw percentage at 87.3%. Kinsey is among the SEC leaders in scoring, field goal %, free throw %, 3 point FG made, steals and minutes played.

Kinsey has tallied 1,052 career points – hitting his 1000th career point with a free throw in the second half vs. Vandy (18:45). He become the 38th Gamecock to go over the 1,000 mark. With his 24 points at Auburn, he passed Darryl Martin, Scotti Ward and Aaron Lucas to move to No. 35. If he can score 27+ he will move to No. 30, passing Brian Winters (1079, 1971-74) and leapfrogging four players (Cedrick Hordges, Chuck Eidson, Larry Davis and Winters).

Kinsey’s 450 points this season have already surpassed the points he scored in his sophomore (273) and junior years (286). He scored just 43 points in an injury riddled freshman season. Kinsey has scored 20+ points nine times this season, including three of the last five games and a career best 24 points three times. Prior to this season, in 85 games he had only scored 20+ points twice (23 vs. S.C. State, 12-22-04 and 21 vs. Idaho, 11-18-03).

His 115 career three-pointers put him at No. 8 all-time with Aaron Lucas (115, 1999-2002). Three more and he will pass Brent Price at No. 7 (117, 1988-89). Not bad for a guy who went 1 of 14 from beyond the arc his freshman year, scoring 43 points while he suffered from a number of injuries.

His 318 three-point attempts put him at No. 10 all-time. He needs 15 more attempts to reach Herbert Lee Davis (333, 1997-2000).

Another career list possibility: he needs seven more steals to match Carey Rich at No. 10 with 127 steals (1993-95).

If the season ended today, he would finish at No. 6 on the all-time career three-point % list (36.2%). In addition he would finish at No. 4 on the free throw % list for a single season with a 87.3%, topping Scotti Ward in 1963 (86.8%). Very much within his reach, Ronnie Collins heads up the single season list at 88.4% (84-95) at the charity stripe.

2006 ALL-SEC COACHES HONORS

Southeastern Conference Champion LSU earned four 2006 SEC coaches’ postseason awards as John Brady was chosen SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and sophomore forward Glen Davis was selected SEC Player of the Year by the league’s coaches. Tyrus Thomas earned both the SEC Freshman of the Year award and shared Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Thomas made it three straight SEC Freshman of the Year honors for the Fighting Tigers (Brandon Bass, 2004 and Glen Davis, 2005). Florida’s Lee Humphrey won the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and Arkansas’ Eric Ferguson earned SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Brady led LSU to their ninth SEC Championship. The Tigers has won 26 SEC games over the last two seasons (12 in 2005, 14 in 2006), three more than any other team during that span. He also won the award in 2000 which was the last time LSU won the league title. This season, he guided his squad to a 22-7 record (14-2 in SEC play) and what will be their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

Davis garnered SEC Player of the Year honors in leading LSU to an SEC title and Eastern Division Championship. Davis and LSU’s Seimone Augustus, the SEC Women’s Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, made it back-to-back years that a duo from the same school was voted by the league coaches as SEC Player of the Year. Davis was also a unanimous All-SEC First Team selection. Brandon Bass from LSU was the SEC Men’s Player of the Year in 2005.

Humphrey earned the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, sporting a 3.74 grade-point average as a junior. He is a 2005-06 Second Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America selection. Humphrey helped Florida to a 17-0 start and a No. 2 national ranking. It was UF’s best start in school history and the longest winning streak in school history.

Thomas was awarded the SEC Freshman of the Year award. Thomas leads all SEC freshmen and is second in the league with 9.3 rebounds per game. He ranks second among freshmen in scoring at 12.7 points per game. Thomas was one of four unanimous picks for the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Brewer shared the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award with Thomas. Brewer, consistently matched against the opposing teams top scorer, helped anchor the Gator defense that was third in the SEC in field goal pct. defense and fourth in scoring defense. Thomas leads all players with 3.04 blocks per contest.

Arkansas’ Eric Ferguson won the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year award. Ferguson ranks third on the team in minutes played despite starting only six games this season and is its fifth leading scorer (8.0 ppg).

A complete list of the 2006 SEC Men’s Basketball postseason awards follows.

2006 ALL-SEC COACHES HONORS

FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Jermareo Davidson, Alabama	F	6-10	220	Jr.	Atlanta, Ga.
Ronald Steele, Alabama#	G	6-3	185	So.	Birmingham, Ala.
Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas#	G	6-7	217	Jr.	Fayetteville, Ark.
Joakim Noah, Florida	F/C	6-11	227	So.	New York, N.Y.
Glen Davis, LSU#	F	6-9	310	So.	Baton Rouge, La.
Darrel Mitchell, LSU	G	5-11	178	Sr.	St. Martinville, La.
Chris Lofton, Tennessee#	G	6-2	197	So.	Maysville, Ky.
Shan Foster, Vanderbilt	G/F	6-6	190	So.	Kenner, La.

SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Jonathon Modica, Arkansas	G/F	6-5	208	Sr.	Smackover, Ark.
Taurean Green, Florida	G	6-0	177	So.	Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Al Horford, Florida	F	6-8	235	So.	Puerto Plata, Dom. Republic
Rajon Rondo, Kentucky	G	6-1	155	So.	Louisville, Ky.
Tyrus Thomas, LSU	F	6-9	215	Fr.	Baton Rouge, La.
Charles Rhodes, Mississippi State	F	6-8	240	So.	Jackson, Miss.
Tarence Kinsey, South Carolina	G	6-6	190	Sr.	Tampa, Fla.
C.J. Watson, Tennessee	G	6-2	176	Sr.	Las Vegas, Nev.

SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
Alonzo Gee, Alabama	F	6-6	215	Palm Beach, Fla.
Richard Hendrix, Alabama#	F	6-8	265	Athens, Ala.
Quantez Robertson, Auburn	G	6-3	190	Cincinnati, Ohio
Rasheem Barrett, Auburn	G	6-5	220	Atlanta, Ga.
Mike Mercer, Georgia	G	6-4	185	Snellville, Ga.
Tasmin Mitchell, LSU#	F	6-7	230	Denham Springs, La.
Tyrus Thomas, LSU#	F	6-9	215	Baton Rouge, La.
Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State#	G/F	6-4	225	Nashville, Tenn.