POLISH THE HARDWARE

Big 12 coaches pick Houston guard as player of year and top defender

Big 12 coaches pick Houston guard as player of year and top defender
Jamal Shead is taking home some hardware. Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images.

Houston senior point guard Jamal Shead was voted by Big 12 coaches as the conference's player of the year after helping lead the top-ranked Cougars to the regular-season title in their inaugural season in the league.

Shead, also tabbed as the top defensive player, was the only unanimous pick on the first team announced Sunday. He goes into the postseason averaging 13.2 points, 6.2 assists and 2.3 steals.

The other first-team picks were Kansas senior center Hunter Dickinson, the Michigan transfer who was also newcomer of the year, along with Iowa State sophomore guard Tamin Lipsey, Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. and Texas forward Dylan Disu.

Kelvin Sampson of the Cougars (28-3) was named by his Big 12 peers as coach of the year.

Baylor guard Ja'Kobe Walter was picked as freshman of the year.

The Associated Press will release its All-Big 12 teams and individual awards Tuesday.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Texans are winning games and still haven't hit their stride. Composite Getty Image.

Have the Texans established their spot in the upper echelon of the NFL with Sunday's win over Buffalo?

Sure, it wasn’t pretty. But the Bills were an elite team, and the Texans beat them. We should be encouraged that the Texans have found a way to win four games, and they still haven't played up to their capabilities.

Be sure to catch the video above as ESPN Houston's Jeremy Branham and Joel Blank argue why the Texans deserve a spot among the NFL’s elite teams, despite the ugly wins this season.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome