BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and Florida’s Todd Golden were named the Southeastern Conference’s player and coach of the year Monday.
Acuff averaged 22.2 points and 6.4 assists a game as a freshman, joining Hall of Famer Pete Maravich as the second in league history to lead the league in those two categories in a single season.
Widely projected to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft, Acuff helped the 17th-ranked Razorbacks (23-8, 13-5) earn the No. 3 seed in this week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.
Golden, meanwhile, led defending national champion Florida to the league’s regular-season title after replacing three starting guards and two of his top assistants. The fourth-ranked Gators (25-6, 16-2) have won 11 in a row and 20 of 22 entering the tournament as the top seed.
Coaches of the powerhouse league also voted Acuff as freshman of the year, Texas’ Dailyn Swain as newcomer of the year, Florida’s Urban Klavzar as sixth man of the year and Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu as defensive player of the year. Chinyelu also was named the SEC scholar-athlete of the year.
First Team
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Second Team
Nate Ament, Tennessee
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
Mark Mitchell, Missouri
Otega Oweh, Kentucky
Dailyn Swain, Texas
Third Team
Rashaun Agee, Texas A&M
Alex Condon, Florida
Keyshawn Hall, Auburn
Aden Holloway, Alabama
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
All-Defensive Team
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
Somto Cyril, Georgia
Felix Okpara, Tennessee
Billy Richmond III, Arkansas
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Amari Allen, Alabama
Nate Ament, Tennessee
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky
Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
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The Associated Press
