Memorial Service Thursday for John R. Wooden Award Founder Duke Llewellyn
Event to Honor an Amazing Legacy in the Southern California Sports Community
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, July 26, 2010
LOS ANGELES — Richard “Duke” Llewellyn, the chairman and founder of the John R. Wooden Award who passed away last month in Los Angeles at the age of 93, will be honored with a memorial service this Thursday, July 29, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Llewellyn was a fixture on the Southern California sports scene for more than 70 years, first as an athlete at USC, then as a U.S. military boxing champion, coach and event director, and most recently in his role guiding the John R. Wooden Award to its status as the nation’s top college basketball honor.
After the 3 p.m. service in the Club’s Main Lounge, a no-host buffet dinner will be held in the Main Dining Room where guests may share stories about Duke. Anyone interested in attending either the 3 p.m. event or the dinner, or both, must RSVP to the LAAC at 213-630-5255. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is located at 431 W. Seventh Street in Los Angeles.
Llewellyn and John Wooden, in a remarkable coincidence, passed away the same day, June 4; the two were friends for more than 60 years. Llewellyn founded the John R. Wooden Award for LAAC in 1976 and he stayed on board with the Award through the 2010 season, meeting with sponsors, the players and staff even as he fought several battles with cancer. Llewellyn and Coach Wooden insisted on the Award’s commitment to character and community service that is still important today.
Llewellyn came to the LAAC in 1956 as director of athletics and advanced to a senior vice president role on the management team of Frank and Charles Hathaway. At the Club, he staged the national championship for handball in 1956, and worked with Riviera Country Club, Rivera Tennis Club and the California Yacht Club in facility development.
Beyond his work with the LAAC for 50+ years in many roles, among Llewellyn’s eclectic contributions to sport include serving on the Board of Directors of the World Boxing Hall of Fame for more than 20 years; working as an attaché for his native Bermuda at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles; working as the director of the Southern California Tennis Association; and serving as a college, high school, and junior college football coach and official for several decades.
He was also a member of the 1984 Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games and spent several years in the 1950s as director of municipal sports for the LA City Parks and Recreation Department. In 2000, he was honored by the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles for his “unnoticed contributions to Nikkei sports.”
As an athlete, Llewellyn competed in three sports at USC -football, track and basketball, while earning a BA in physical education in 1940. He placed fourth in the decathlon at the 1936 Olympic Trials, and later played professional football for the Los Angeles Bulldogs, Hollywood Rangers, and Los Angeles Dons.
After training for combat in preparation for World War II, as a master sergeant in the Army, Llewellyn was involved in a landmine accident that injured his leg. While sidelined, he created a sports program to help get troops in shape. He later recovered to become a boxer in the U.S. Army, fighting exhibition matches against World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis. Llewellyn was the 9th Service Command heavyweight boxing champion in 1944 and 1945.
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Contacts: Linda Reid, LRPR Cory Hathaway, John R. Wooden Award
310-291-9205 213-630-5206
A Celebration of Richard “Duke” Llewellyn’s Life
A Celebration of Richard “Duke” Llewellyn’s Life Thursday July 29, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Please join us for a tribute held at 3:00 pm on the Third Floor in the
Main Dining Room.
At 6:30 pm, a dinner will be held in Duke’s honor. At that time, participants are invited to share their favorite stories about Duke in this intimate setting.
Dinner will be $36.00 inclusive. Please make reservations for the dinner portion of our program.
RSVP (213) 630-5255 or laac.com
John Wooden Memorial Service
John Wooden Memorial Service
Saturday, June 26, 2010
11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Pauley Pavilion – Arena
Celebrating the life of the UCLA icon
Admission
Approximately 6,000 seats in Pauley Pavilion’s middle and upper levels will be available to the public on a general admission basis. The doors to Pauley Pavilion will open at 9 a.m. Per University policy, no overnight camping will be allowed and anyone on campus prior to 5 a.m. will be asked to leave. Attendees will enter through the Intramural Field. The entrance to the IM Field will be from the east at Wilson Plaza between the John Wooden Center and the North Athletic Field.
For those not admitted to Pauley Pavilion, the service will be shown live on two video boards in Drake Stadium.
John R. Wooden 1910-2010
Share Your Memories of Duke Llewellyn and John Wooden
UCLA’s legendary former basketball coach died at 6:45 p.m. Friday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. His 100th birthday would have been Oct. 14.
“Coach Wooden’s legacy transcends athletics; what he did was produce leaders,” UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said. “He was truly a legend in his own time, and he will be a legend for generations to come.”
Coach Wooden led the Bruins to ten national titles and his teams included some of the most accomplished players in the history of college basketball.
“It’s kind of hard to talk about Coach Wooden simply, because he was a complex man,” former UCLA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said. “But he taught in a very simple way. He just used sports as a means to teach us how to apply ourselves to any situation.”
John R. Wooden, The Los Angeles Athletic Club
Share Your Memories of Duke Llewellyn and John Wooden
The entire The Los Angeles Athletic Club family extends its condolences to the Wooden family. For over 35 years, we had the honor to know Coach Wooden as a loving family man and friend. To our nation, Coach has been the patriarch for all that is good in sports and a model for student-athletes, coaches and those who strive for excellence. His accomplishments as a college coach and player and his lessons on life are legendary. Today we mourn the loss of Coach Wooden and his dear friend and co-founder of the John R. Wooden Award, Richard “Duke” Llewellyn. Our prayers are with Coach Wooden’s family.
Steve Hathaway
President
The Los Angeles Athletic Club
John R. Wooden Award Founder Duke Llewellyn Passes Away at 93
Worked for the LAAC for 54 Years; Leaves an Amazing Legacy in the Southern California Sports Community
Share Your Memories of Duke Llewellyn and John Wooden
LOS ANGELES—Richard “Duke” Llewellyn, the chairman and co-founder of the John R. Wooden Award, passed away early this morning at Hollenbeck Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles at the age of 93. Llewellyn was a fixture on the Southern California sports scene for more than 70 years, first as an athlete at USC, then as a U.S. military boxing champion, coach and event director, and most recently in his role guiding the John R. Wooden Award to its status as the nation’s top college basketball honor.
“We are devastated to lose Duke,” said Los Angeles Athletic Club President Steve Hathaway. “Quite simply, he was the Wooden Award, and symbolized everything that is right about college athletics and amateur sports. He led an incredible life having touched so many people along the way. We will miss him deeply.”
Llewellyn, working with John Wooden, a friend for more than 60 years, founded the John R. Wooden Award in 1976 and he stayed on board with the Award through this season, meeting with sponsors, the players and staff even as he fought several battles with cancer. Llewellyn and Coach Wooden insisted on the Award’s commitment to community service that is still important today.
Llewellyn came to the LAAC in 1956 as director of athletics and advanced to a senior vice president role on a team with Frank and Charles Hathaway. At the Club, he staged the national championship for handball in 1956, and worked with Riviera Country Club, Rivera Tennis Club and the California Yacht Club in facility development.
Many stars in the sports world and Hollywood came to visit the LAAC because of Llewellyn. Additionally, he was always proud of the Olympic training programs he created that led to gold medals for many athletes, including Pat McCormick, Kathy Ferguson and Australian Olympic swimmer, Murray Rose.
Beyond his work with the LAAC for 50 years in many roles, among Llewellyn’s eclectic contributions to sport include serving on the Board of Directors of the World Boxing Hall of Fame for more than 20 years; working as an attaché for his native Bermuda at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles; working as the director of the Southern California Tennis Association; and serving as a college, high school, and junior college football coach and official for several decades.
He was also a member of the 1984 Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games and spent several years in the 1950s as director of municipal sports for the LA City Parks and Recreation Department. In 2000, he was honored by the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles for his “unnoticed contributions to Nikkei sports.”
As an athlete, Llewellyn competed in three sports at USC (football, track and basketball), earning a BA in physical education in 1940. He placed fourth in the decathlon at the 1936 Olympic Trials, and later played professional football for the Los Angeles Bulldogs, Hollywood Rangers, and Los Angeles Dons.
After training for combat in preparation for World War II, as a master sergeant in the Army, Llewellyn was involved in a landmine accident that damaged his leg. While sidelined, he created a sports program to help get troops in shape. He later recovered to become a boxer in the U.S. Army, fighting exhibition matches against World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis. Llewellyn was the 9th Service Command heavyweight boxing champion in 1944 and 1945.
Llewellyn leaves behind a large and loving family, including his longtime companion, Nancy Tew; children Mark, Mike and Debby; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are private. Details of a celebration of Duke’s life will be forthcoming at www.woodenaward.com.
The Los Angeles Athletic Club inducted Llewellyn into its Hall of Fame in 1999 and in 1996, named it sports-themed restaurant, simply, “Duke’s.”
Share Your Memories of Duke Llewellyn and John Wooden
Evan Turner of Ohio State wins 34th John R. Wooden Award
Evan Turner of Ohio State wins 34th John R. Wooden Award
Buckeye junior caps successful season with college basketball’s top honor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, April 9, 2010
LOS ANGELES—Evan Turner of Ohio State is the 2010 John R. Wooden Award winner as the college basketball player of the year. The announcement was made at The Los Angeles Athletic Club this evening and streamed live on CBS College Sports Network. Blake Griffin, the 2009 Wooden Award winner who now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, made the announcement and presented Turner with the Wooden Award trophy whose unique design was inspired by Coach Wooden’s idea of the “total basketball player.”
Turner averaged 20.4 points and 9.4 rebounds in 2010 as his Buckeye team reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and won the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. A 6-7 junior from Chicago Ill., he was the Big Ten Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player in the Big Ten Tournament. He was the conference’s top scorer and rebounder and ranked No. 2 in assists (6.0, 6th in the nation) and steals (1.7).
Balloting by more than 1,000 members of the media and college basketball experts was conducted through the weekend of the Elite Eight. Voters selected 10 players for the John R. Wooden Award All American team from the 27 student-athletes listed on the ballot, and ranked them from 1 to 10. Voters were asked to take into account performance during the regular season and postseason, as well as a player’s character and academic record. All players on the ballot were certified as maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA at their current school, including the most recent semester.
Turner had 3,715 points, followed by John Wall of Kentucky with 3,331 and Syracuse’s Wesley Johnson with 1,871. Turner joins a distinguished group of Wooden Award winners, including Michael Jordan (North Carolina), Ralph Sampson (Virginia), Tim Duncan (Wake Forest), Kevin Durant (Texas) and Larry Bird (Indiana State). Turner is the first Ohio State player to win the Award; Greg Oden was a finalist in 2007.
In addition to the Player of the Year Award, The Los Angeles Athletic Club also presented Florida Men’s Basketball Coach Billy Donovan with the John R. Wooden Award Legends of Coaching honor. The John R. Wooden Award in the women’s category was announced as well, and it went to Connecticut’s Tina Charles. The Award announcement caps a full day for the Wooden Award All Americans: Turner and fellow finalists John Wall (16.6 points, 6.4 assists, set the school single season assist record with 241) and Wesley Johnson (the 2010 Big East Player of the Year, 16.5 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists), coached in a Special Olympics basketball tournament on the Wooden Court at the LAAC during the morning.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All-American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament.
John R. Wooden Award Winners
1977 Marques Johnson University of California, Los Angeles
1978 Phil Ford University of North Carolina
1979 Larry Bird Indiana State University
1980 Darrell Griffith University of Louisville
1981 Danny Ainge Brigham Young University
1982 Ralph Sampson University of Virginia
1983 Ralph Sampson University of Virginia
1984 Michael Jordan University of North Carolina
1985 Chris Mullin Saint John’s University
1986 Walter Berry Saint John’s University
1987 David Robinson United States Naval Academy
1988 Danny Manning University of Kansas
1989 Sean Elliott University of Arizona
1990 Lionel Simmons La Salle University
1991 Larry Johnson University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1992 Christian Laettner Duke University
1993 Calbert Cheaney Indiana University
1994 Glenn Robinson Purdue University
1995 Ed O’Bannon University of California, Los Angeles
1996 Marcus Camby University of Massachusetts
1997 Tim Duncan Wake Forest University
1998 Antawn Jamison University of North Carolina
1999 Elton Brand Duke University
2000 Kenyon Martin University of Cincinnati
2001 Shane Battier Duke University
2002 Jason Williams Duke University
2003 T.J. Ford University of Texas
2004 Jameer Nelson St. Joseph’s
2005 Andrew Bogut University of Utah
2006 J.J. Redick Duke University
2007 Kevin Durant University of Texas
2008 Tyler Hansbrough University of North Carolina
2009 Blake Griffin University of Oklahoma
2010 Evan Turner Ohio State University
Connecticut’s Tina Charles Wins John R. Wooden Award
CONNECTICUT’S TINA CHARLES WINS JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD
College Basketball’s Top Honor Goes to a UConn Player for Second Straight Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, April 9, 2010
LOS ANGELES—In the closest race ever, UConn’s Tina Charles has won the 2010 John R. Wooden Award, in the women’s category, as the college basketball player of the year. Because the WNBA draft precluded Charles from making the traditional trip to Los Angeles, Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) President Steve Hathaway will present her with the unique Wooden Award trophy, whose design was inspired by Coach Wooden’s idea of the “total basketball player,” next Thursday on the University of Connecticut campus.
The Wooden Award caps off an unbelievable career for Charles, who led her team to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2009 and 2010 and a 78-game win streak. The 6-4 center from Jamaica, New York, was the 2010 Big East Conference Player of the Year, averaging 18.3 points and 9.4 rebounds on the season. She averaged 16.7 points and 10.3 rebounds in the ’10 NCAA Tournament and is the Huskies’ all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
Balloting by several hundred members of the media and women’s college basketball experts was conducted through the games of the Sweet 16. Voters selected five players for the John R. Wooden All American team from the student-athletes listed on the ballot, and ranked them from 1 to 10. The other four finalists were Nebraska’s Kelsey Griffin; UConn’s Maya Moore, the 2009 Women’s Wooden Award winner; and Stanford’s duo of Nnemkadi Ogwumike and Jayne Appel. Voters were asked to take into account performance during the regular season and postseason, as well as a player’s character and academic performance. All players on the ballot were certified as maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA at their current school, including the most recent semester.
This year’s voting was the closest ever. Charles (252 points) topped her teammate Moore (251) by only one point in the final voting. Griffin was third with 114 points, followed by Appel (98) and Ogwumike (56).
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), Kevin Durant (’08) and Candace Parker (’07 and’08).
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Women’s John R. Wooden Award All-Time Winners
Year Player School
2010 Tina Charles University of Connecticut
2009 Maya Moore University of Connecticut
2008 Candace Parker University of Tennessee
2007 Candace Parker University of Tennessee
2006 Seimone Augustus Louisiana State University
2005 Seimone Augustus Louisiana State University
2004 Alana Beard Duke University
John R. Wooden Award Finalists on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Evan Turner and Wesley Johnson appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show
John R. Wooden Award Finalists
Butler, Collins, Johnson, Turner, Wall, Invited to April 9 Gala Presentation in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (April 6, 2010) – The five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award® were announced today; all are invited to Los Angeles for the April 9 announcement of the 2010 John R. Wooden Award winner as college basketball’s player of the year, streamed live by CBS College Sports Network.
The 2010 John R. Wooden Award finalists are: West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler (17.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who led his team to the Final Four this season; Kansas’ Sherron Collins (15.5 ppg, 4.5 ast); Wesley Johnson of Syracuse (16.5 ppg, 8.5 assists), the Big East Player of the Year; Ohio State’s Evan Turner (20.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg), the Big 10 Player of the Year; and Kentucky’s John Wall, who averaged 16.6 points and 6.4 assists in his freshman campaign.
The 34th John R. Wooden Award Presentation Gala will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 9 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W. Seventh Street in Los Angeles. In addition to honoring the Wooden All-American teams, the “Legends of Coaching” Award will be presented to Florida’s Billy Donovan, who made his 10th appearance as a coach in the NCAA Tournament this year. The final vote tally will be released that night as well. Tickets may be obtained by calling The Los Angeles Athletic Club at (213) 630-5231 for $105. Internet users may watch the announcement live at 7:30 p.m. that night on the CBS College Sports Network, by using the following link:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/13172567
The winners will receive a contribution from The Los Angeles Athletic Club for their university’s general scholarship fund. The Women’s John R. Wooden All-America team and finalists were announced last week.
Men’s 2010 John R. Wooden Award Finalists
| Name | Height | Class | Position | University | Conference |
| Da’Sean Butler | 6-7 | Sr. | F | West Virginia | Big East |
| Sherron Collins | 5-11 | Jr. | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Wesley Johnson | 6-7 | Jr. | F | Syracuse | Big East |
| Evan Turner | 6-7 | Jr. | G/F | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| John Wall | 6-4 | Fr. | G | Kentucky | SEC |
John R. Wooden Award Committee Chooses 2010 High School Players of the Year
Southern California’s Top High School Players to be Honored at April 9 Wooden Award Gala
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (April 5, 2010) – The John R. Wooden Award® Committee today announced the seven outstanding high school basketball players who will receive the 2010 John R. Wooden High School Player of the Year Award: Bryce Jones, Woodland Hills Taft HS (City Section); Tyler Lamb, Santa Ana Mater Dei HS (Division I); Alex Varner, Rialto Eisenhower HS (Division II); Deonte Burton, Compton Centennial HS (Division III); Allen Crabbe, Los Angeles Price HS (Division IV); Wesley Saunders, Los Angeles Windward School (Division V); and Jon Conley, Los Angeles Ribet Academy (Division VI)
Each winner will receive a plaque, $300 in his name donated to his high school’s athletic fund, and will be recognized during the John R. Wooden Award Gala that also honors college basketball’s players of the year and Billy Donovan, Florida men’s basketball coach and the 2010 Legends of Coaching recipient.
Chosen by a panel of local area prep sports experts, the John R. Wooden Award High School Player of the Year Award is presented annually to the most valuable player in each of the six California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section divisions and the Los Angeles City Section. Past winners include current and former NBA and college standouts Baron Davis, Tayshaun Prince, Tyson Chandler, and Andre Miller. Bank of America continues to support The Los Angeles Athletic Club in honoring the Southland’s top players each season.
Jones (16.9 points, 7.5 rebounds), an All-City and All-State player, took his team to the LA City title game in 2010. Lamb, a 2010 Parade All-American, averaged 18.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists for Mater Dei. A four-year varsity starter, Varner (17.3 ppg, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists) led Eisenhower to the Division IIA title as a senior. Burton averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a Centennial senior, and scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career. Crabbe led Price to a state title and was a Parade All-American and Gatorade State Player of the Year, pouring in 23 points and 10 rebounds per game. Saunders averaged 22.9 points and 10.7 rebounds for Windward as a junior. Conley, recognized as a CIF Player of the Year, led Ribet to the Division VI title, averaging 21.0 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his/her university that he/she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include Michael Jordan (’84), Larry Bird (’79), Tim Duncan (’97), Candace Parker (’07 and ’08), and Blake Griffin (’09) .
The Los Angeles Athletic Club has been a part of the Los Angeles community for more than 120 years. Richard “Duke” Llewellyn, Chairman of the John R. Wooden Award has been a fixture in the community, as a three-sport letterman at USC and as an administrator, for six decades. The High School Player of the Year Award recognizes the exemplary contributions made by local athletes. The High School Award has grown from recognizing a single Player of the Year in 1994 to encompassing the six divisions of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section and the Los Angeles City Section.
2010 John R. Wooden Award High School Players of the Year
| Division | Player | School |
| CIF Los Angeles City Section | Bryce Jones | Taft High School |
| CIF Southern Section Division I | Tyler Lamb | Mater Dei High School |
| CIF Southern Section Division II | Alex Varner | Eisenhower High School |
| CIF Southern Section Division III | Deonte Burton | Centennial High School |
| CIF Southern Section Division IV | Allen Crabbe | Price High School |
| CIF Southern Section Division V | Wesley Saunders | Windward High School |
| CIF Southern Section Division VI | Jon Conley | Ribet Academy |
2010 Men’s John R. Wooden Award All American Team Announced
Top Five Vote-Getters Invited to April 9 Gala Presentation in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (April 1, 2010) – The 10-player John R. Wooden Award All American Team® was announced today (see below) with the top vote-getters invited to Los Angeles for the April 9 announcement of the 2010 John R. Wooden Award® winner as college basketball’s player of the year, streamed live by CBS College Sports Network.
Balloting by members of the media and college basketball experts was conducted over the past three weeks. Voters selected 10 players from the 26 athletes listed on the ballot, and ranked them from 1 to 10. Voters were asked to take into account performance during the regular season and postseason through the Elite Eight, as well as a player’s character and academic performance, essential components of an outstanding player. All players on the ballot were certified by their schools as maintaining a 2.0 GPA at their current school.
“We feel tremendously proud to have these student athletes representing the 2010 John R. Wooden Award All American Team, in such an outstanding year for college basketball,” said Steve Hathaway, president of The Los Angeles Athletic Club, speaking on behalf of hospitalized John R. Wooden Award Chairman and Founder Richard “Duke” Llewellyn.
No players return from last year’s All-American team. This year’s squad features two players who will play in this week’s Final Four, West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler (17.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Jon Scheyer (18.6 ppg) of Duke. Kentucky’s John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are the only freshmen and only teammates on the Wooden All-American team; they finished their seasons in the Elite Eight, Wall averaging 16.6 points and 6.4 assists and Cousins 15.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
The 2010 John R. Wooden Award All-American team includes Oklahoma State’s James Anderson, (22.9 ppg) the Big 12 Player of the Year; Da’Sean Butler; Sherron Collins of Kansas (15.5 ppg, 4.5 ast); DeMarcus Cousins; Wesley Johnson of Syracuse (16.0 ppg, 8.4 assists), the Big East Player of the Year; Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds (18.5 ppg); Jon Scheyer; Ohio State’s Evan Turner (20.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg), the Big 10 Player of the Year; Greivis Vasquez of Maryland (19.3 ppg), the ACC Player of the Year; and John Wall.
The 34th John R. Wooden Award Presentation Gala will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 9 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W. Seventh Street in Los Angeles. In addition to honoring the John R. Wooden Award All American teams, the “Legends of Coaching” Award will be presented to Florida’s Billy Donovan, who made his 10th appearance as a coach in the NCAA Tournament this year. The final vote tally will be released that night as well. Tickets are $105 and may be obtained by calling The Los Angeles Athletic Club at (213) 630-5200; the event always sells out. Internet users may watch the announcement live at 7:30 p.m. that night on the CBS College Sports Network, by using the following link: http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=cs&media=175037
The winners will receive a contribution from The Los Angeles Athletic Club for their university’s general scholarship fund. The Women’s John R. Wooden All-America team was announced yesterday.
Men’s 2010 John R. Wooden Award All American Team
| Name | Height | Class | Position | University | Conference |
| James Anderson | 6-6 | Jr. | G | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Da’Sean Butler | 6-7 | Sr. | F | West Virginia | Big East |
| Sherron Collins | 5-11 | Sr. | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 6-11 | Fr. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
| Wesley Johnson | 6-7 | Jr. | F | Syracuse | Big East |
| Scottie Reynolds | 6-2 | Jr. | G | Villanova | Big East |
| Jon Scheyer | 6-5 | Sr. | G | Duke | ACC |
| Evan Turner | 6-7 | Jr. | G/F | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Greivis Vasquez | 6-6 | Sr. | G | Maryland | ACC |
| John Wall | 6-4 | Fr. | G | Kentucky | SEC |
John R. Wooden Award Continues Partnership with Special Olympics Southern California
Top College Players set to Coach Special Olympics Athletes at the Annual Wooden Award Special Olympics Basketball Tournament Presented by Grant Thornton. Event Pairs Outstanding NCAA Basketball Players With Special Olympics Teams For A Four Team Tournament.
WHAT:
On Friday, April 9, 2010, the Los Angeles Athletic Club will play host to one of the most unique and exciting opportunities in collegiate basketball. The John R. Wooden Awards finalists (consisting of notable NCAA players) will coach four Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) basketball teams in the fourth annual tournament to be hosted at The Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC).
Each Wooden Award finalist is assigned to one of the SOSC teams, and trades his or her playing experience for an afternoon of coaching, calling timeouts, leading huddles and calling plays. Past participants in this event include Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Brandon Rush, Alando Tucker, Adam Morrison, J.J. Redick and Brandon Roy.
WHEN:
Friday, April 9th
Times: 11AM-1PM
SOSC Award Ceremony: 1:15PM
SOSC GAME OPEN TO THE PUBLIC & FREE ADMISSION; RSVP REQUIRED! Call: (213) 630-5231
MEDIA: PLEASE RSVP to MIKE@WJAGENCY.COM
WHO:
The top five players from this year’s John R. Wooden Award All American Teams and Special Olympic Coaches include:
Men:
James Anderson, Oklahoma State
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia
Sherron Collins, Kansas
DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky
Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova
Jon Scheyer, Duke
Evan Turner, Ohio State
Greivis Vasquez, Maryland
John Wall, Kentucky
Women:
Maya Moore, Connecticut
Kelsey Griffin, Nebraska
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Tina Charles, Connecticut
Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
WHERE:
The Los Angeles Athletic Club
431 W. 7th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
Special Olympics Southern California has been changing lives through the power of sport for more than 40 years. Special Olympics offers opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to participate in year-round sports training and competition. Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to develop fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy as they participate in the sharing of gifts and friendship with other athletes, their families and the community. For more information about how to compete, volunteer, coach or donate to Special Olympics Southern California, visit www.sosc.org.
2010 Women’s John R. Wooden Award All-American Team Selected
2009 winner Moore of UConn leads the list of team members, all of whom are invited
to the April 9 Gala Presentation in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (March 31, 2010) – The John R. Wooden Award Women’s All-American team was announced today (see below) with all five team members invited to Los Angeles for the April 9 announcement of the 2010 John R. Wooden Award winner as the college basketball player of the year. The presentation of the John R. Wooden Award Trophy to the Player of the Year will be made as part of the Wooden Award Gala at 6:30 p.m. that day.
With voting finishing just this past Monday, voters were asked to take into account performance during the regular season and postseason through the Sweet Sixteen, as well as a player’s character and academic performance, essential components of an outstanding player. Balloting was conducted over the past three weeks by hundreds of national media members. Voters selected five players from the 22 athletes listed on the ballot, and ranked them from 1 to 5. All players on the ballot were certified by their schools as maintaining a 2.0 GPA at their current school.
“The talent on the 2010 Wooden Award All American Team is incredible this year, and even making the ballot was tough this season,” said Steve Hathaway, president of The Los Angeles Athletic Club, speaking on behalf of hospitalized Wooden Award Chairman and Founder Richard “Duke” Llewellyn.
Connecticut’s Maya Moore is now a three-time John R. Wooden All-American, and won the John R. Wooden Award in 2009 as a sophomore. She and teammate Tina Charles, also a John R. Wooden All-American in 2010, have led their team to an undefeated season. Charles and Moore boast identical 18.3 ppg scoring averages. Charles adds 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 63.5% from the field, while Moore contributes 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Both players average below 30 minutes per game.
Four Wooden All-Americans will play in the Final Four: Moore, Charles and Stanford’s duo of Jayne Appel and Nnemkadi Ogwumike. Nebraska’s Kelsey Griffin rounds out the team. Ogwumike, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, averages 18.2 points and 9.6 rebounds. The senior Appel adds 13.6 points and 8.7 rebounds in directing Stanford’s tough post game. Griffin (20.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg) the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year and a three-time Academic All-Big 12 pick, led the Cornhuskers to their first No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
The 34th John R. Wooden Award Presentation Gala will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 9 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W. Seventh Street in Los Angeles. In addition to honoring the John R. Wooden Award All-American teams, the “Legends of Coaching” Award will be presented to Florida’s Billy Donovan, who made his 10th appearance as a coach in the NCAA Tournament this year. The final vote tally will be released that night as well. Tickets are $105 and may be obtained by calling The Los Angeles Athletic Club at (213) 630-5231; the event always sells out. For up to date information on all of the Wooden Award candidates, please go to www.woodenaward.com.
The winners will receive a contribution from The Los Angeles Athletic Club for their university’s general scholarship fund. The Men’s John R. Wooden All-American Team will be announced tomorrow, Thursday, April 1.
Women’s 2010 John R. Wooden Award All American Team®
| Name | Height | Class | Position | University | Conference |
| Jayne Appel | 6-4 | Sr. | F/C | Stanford | Pac-10 |
| Tina Charles | 6-4 | Sr. | C | Connecticut | Big East |
| Kelsey Griffin | 6-2 | Sr. | F | Nebraska | Big 12 |
| Maya Moore $# | 6-0 | Jr. | F | Connecticut | Big East |
| Nnemkadi Ogwumike | 6-2 | So. | F | Stanford | Pac-10 |
$ 2009 John R. Wooden Award winner
# 2008 John R. Wooden All American Team
34th Annual Wooden Award to be presented April 9, 2010
Who: The top five male and female collegiate basketball players will be invited to The Los Angeles Athletic Club for the presentation of the National College Basketball Awards including the John R. Wooden Award. The Wooden Award recognizes the College Basketball Player of the Year and is the most prestigious award a player can receive. The evening begins with a dinner served at multiple lavish appetizer stations in the LAAC Main Lounge. The awards program will be held in the LAAC Main Dining Room and will feature awards-show style seating with candid player and coach interviews on the stage. Former Lakers star Tommy Hawkins will emcee the program. ESPN Sports Center anchor Neil Everett and Women’s Basketball Commentator Dave Marcus will host and interview the players and coaches. University of Florida Head Coach Billy Donovan will receive the Legends of Coaching Award. Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers will present the Men’s John R. Wooden Award.
When: Friday, April 9, 2010
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Grant Thornton Special Olympics Basketball Tournament
6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Dinner, reception and red carpet arrival
7:30 p.m. Awards presentation
Where: The Los Angeles Athletic Club – 3rd Floor Main Dining Room
431 West Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Tickets: $85 LAAC members, $105 non-members (includes tax and service)
$1500 Bronze patron sponsor, includes 8 tickets, a VIP table and sends an underprivileged youth to an overnight basketball camp.
Optional donation to Special Olympics of Southern California
Members who buy tickets for non-members will pay non-member price for those tickets
RSVP: Call (213) 630-5231 or email woodenaward@laac.net to RSVP or for more information.
Dress: Business Attire – Suit for Men and appropriate dress for Women
Media coverage is invited.
Please contact The Los Angeles Athletic Club at 213-630-5200
Who: The top five male and female collegiate basketball players will be invited to The Los Angeles Athletic Club for the presentation of the National College Basketball Awards including the John R. Wooden Award. The Wooden Award recognizes the College Basketball Player of the Year and is the most prestigious award a player can receive. The evening begins with a dinner served at multiple lavish appetizer stations in the LAAC Main Lounge.
The awards program will be held in the LAAC Main Dining Room and will feature awards-show style seating with candid player and coach interviews on the stage. Former Lakers star Tommy Hawkins will emcee the program. ESPN Sports Center anchor Neil Everett and Women’s Basketball Commentator Dave Marcus will host and interview the players and coaches. University of Florida Head Coach Billy Donovan will receive the Legends of Coaching Award. Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers will present the Men’s John R. Wooden Award.
When: Friday, April 9, 2010
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Grant Thornton Special Olympics Basketball Tournament
6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Dinner, reception and red carpet arrival
7:30 p.m. Awards presentation
Where: The Los Angeles Athletic Club – 3rd Floor Main Dining Room
431 West Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Tickets: $85 LAAC members, $105 non-members (includes tax and service)
$1500 Bronze patron sponsor, includes 8 tickets, a VIP table and sends an underprivileged youth to an overnight basketball camp.
Optional donation to Special Olympics of Southern California
Members who buy tickets for non-members will pay non-member price for those tickets
RSVP: Call (213) 630-5231 or email woodenaward@laac.net to RSVP or for more information.
Dress: Business Attire – Suit for Men and appropriate dress for Women
Media coverage is invited.
Please contact The Los Angeles Athletic Club at 213-630-5200
Women’s 2010 Ballot Released Today
Voting Underway to Select Five-Player Wooden All American team and Wooden Award Winner
LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2010) – The John R. Wooden Award Committee announced the student-athletes named to the official John R. Wooden Award National Ballot today. The ballot decides the Women’s 2010 Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year, presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate female basketball player.
A distinguished panel of voters, comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from around the nation, have until 3 p.m. EST on Monday March 30 to cast their votes, a long voting period that allows voters to evaluate players up through games of the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. All players on the ballots have proven to their universities that they are making progress toward graduation and are maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
Last year’s Wooden Award winner, Maya Moore of No. 1-ranked Connecticut, returns to the 2010 ballot. She is averaging 18.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists. In addition to Moore, six other players return from the 2009 Wooden Award ballot: Jayne Appel of Stanford; the nation’s top scorer, Alysha Clark of Middle Tennessee; Jantel Lavender of Ohio State; Xavier’s Ta’Shia Phillips; Oklahoma State’s Andrea Riley; and Monica Wright of Virginia.
The undefeated Huskies and No. 2 Stanford each had three players chosen to the 22-woman ballot. Joining Moore on the list for UConn are Tina Charles, her team’s top scorer and rebounder; and Kalana Greene. Appel, Kayla Pedersen and Nnemkadi Ogwumike are the Cardinal’s three honorees. For the first time ever, Xavier boasts two players on the Wooden Award ballot: Phillips and Amber Harris. Ohio State’s Samantha Prahalis and Lavender also were chosen.
A record 10 conferences had players chosen to the ballot, with no conference having more than three selections. The three UConn and Stanford players were the Big East and Pac-10’s only representatives. The Big 12 and CAA also have three players on the ballot, followed by the Big 10, SEC, Atlantic 10 and ACC with two apiece. The WCC and Sun Belt each have one player selected. Twenty of the 22 players on the final ballot will be playing in the NCAA Tournament.
Six players made the Wooden Award ballot who were not on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 30 list: Greene, Ogwumike, Phillips, Prahalis, Riley and Danielle Robinson of Oklahoma. Elena Delle Donne of Delaware (26.9 ppg, No. 2 in NCAA) is the only freshman on the ballot.
2010 Wooden Award Ballot Sent to Voters
2010 JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD®
BALLOT OUT TO VOTERS
Voting Underway to Select Wooden All American team and Wooden Award Winner
Voters have until 3 p.m. EST on Monday, March 29th to cast their votes, a long voting period that allows Wooden Award voters the unique opportunity to evaluate players up through games of the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Voters rank players from 10 to 1 to complete the ballot. All 26 players selected to the National Ballot have proven to their universities that they are making progress toward graduation while maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
The ballot includes returning Wooden Award All-American Luke Harangody (23.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg) of Notre Dame. The 6-8 forward is a three-time All-Big East selection and the nation’s No. 2 scorer. Kalin Lucas (14.8 ppg, 3.9 ast) of co-Big 10 champions Michigan State, Kyle Singler (17.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) of ACC regular season champions Duke, and Sherron Collins (15.3 ppg, 4.3 ast) of Big 12 champion Kansas are also on the Wooden Award ballot for the second straight year.
Kansas, Kentucky and Duke, all ranked in the Associated Press Top 5 this week, are the only three schools with two balloted players. Joining Collins from Kansas is 6-11 center Cole Aldrich (11.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 3.5 blocks); both players are two-time All-Big 12 selections. Kentucky features the only two freshmen on the list, DeMarcus Cousins (15.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg) and John Wall (16.8 ppg, 6.2 ast). Versatile Jon Scheyer (18.9, 3.5 rpg, 5.2 ast) pairs with Singler on the ballot for the Blue Devils.
The Big East has the most balloted players, with 7 of the 26 total spots. The ACC and Big 12 have four apiece, the SEC and Big 10 have three, the Mountain West two, and the Pac-10, West Coast and Horizon League each have one player chosen to the ballot. Twenty-four of the 26 players on the ballot will be playing in the NCAA Tournament.
Five players made the Wooden Award ballot who were not on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 30 list: Cousins, Lazar Hayward of Marquette, Dominique Jones of South Florida, Jerome Randle of California and Greivis Vasquez of Maryland. Ohio State’s Evan Turner had been out with an injury and was named as an additional player to the midseason list.
The 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men’s and Women’s Wooden Award winner, and the presentation of the Legends of Coaching Award to Florida’s Billy Donovan, will take place on April 9, 2010.
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), and Blake Griffin (’09). Candace Parker (Tennessee) won the Women’s Wooden Award in 2007 and 2008 and Maya Moore (Connecticut) won last year.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All-American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The all-day tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All-Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award weekend.
For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact Cory Hathaway at 213-630-5206/woodenaward@laac.net or visit www.WoodenAward.com. Media may visit the website or contact Linda Reid at 310-291-9205/lindreid@aol.com.
# # #
Wednesday’s Wooden Watch
Kansas senior point guard Sherron Collins had 17 points, two rebounds and four assists in the #2 Jayhawks’ 82-65 win over in-state rival Kansas. The win gave Kansas the outright Big 12 title. Collins made five of 15 shots from the field and all six free throws. He has won 125 games in his career, the most in school history.
Freshman Xavier Henry added 19 points as he sank six of nine shots from the floor, three of four from beyond the arc and four of five from the charity stripe. He added five caroms.
Cole Aldrich finished with his nine points, four caroms and three blocked shots. He made three of six shots from the field.
John Wall and Patrick Patterson of #2 ranked Kentucky combined for 41 points as the Wildcats defeated Georgia 80-68 to won a share of its 44th SEC title.
Freshman guard Wall bounced back from five straight below 50% shooting efforts to make eight of ten shots from the field. He sank three of five from beyond the arc and all five free throw attempts as he finished with 17 points, two rebounds and four assists.
Patterson made seven of eleven shots from the floor and both attempts from the charity stripe as he chipped in with 17 points, ten boards and four blocked shots. It was his ninth double-double of the season.
Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler combined for 33 points, but it was not enough as the #4 Blue Devils fell to 79-72 loss to Maryland. The two teams are now tied for first place in the ACC. The senior Scheyer made seven of 21 from the field, three of ten from beyond the arc and two of three from the line. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Singler finished with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists. The junior forward made five of 14 from the field, two of seven three-pointers and two of three free throws.
Darrington Hobson had his eleventh double-double of the season as the #10 ranked New Mexico Lobos defeated TCU 73-66. The junior college transfer made eight of 15 shots from the field and three of five from the line as he finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Jimmer Fredette of #15 BYU was held to just eight points and five rebounds in the Cougars’ 71-51 win over in-state rival 71-51. He made only one of seven shots from the field, but made all six free throws in the Mountain West Conference win.
James Anderson from Oklahoma State finished with 27 points for the second straight game in the Cowboys’ 76-61 loss to Texas A&M. He made seven of 19 shots from the field, four of 13 from three-point range and nine of ten free throws.
Jerome Dyson of Connecticut made just two of 14 shots from the field as he finished with ten points, two rebounds and four assists in a 58-50 loss to Notre Dame.
Mississippi State center Jarvis Varnado finished 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in an 89-80 loss to Auburn. He made seven of nine shots from the field.
Wake Forest sophomore Al-Farouq Aminu was held scoreless for the first time in his career. He missed both field goal and free throw attempts in a 51-47 loss to Florida State. The ACC’s top rebounder grabbed four boards and blocked two shots.
Luke Harangody of Notre Dame and Robbie Hummel from Purdue sat out their team’s wins on Wednesday, due to injuries.
Tuesday’s Wooden Watch
Wesley Johnson had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and four blocks to lead the #1 Orangemen to their second Big East outright title with an 85-66 win over St. John’s. The Iowa State transfer made five of ten shots from the field and all three free throws.
Evan Turner had his 14th double-double of the season as #7 Ohio State knocked off Illinois 73-57. The junior made seven of 16 shots from the field and both three-pointers as he finished with 16 points, twelve rebounds and five assists.
Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds led the #9 Wildcats with a 77-73 win over Cincinnati. He sealed the victory with two free throws in the closing seconds. Reynolds finished with 17 points and five assists as he made three of six shots from the field, three of five from three-point range and eight of nine from the charity stripe.
Matt Bouldin of #14 Gonzaga had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists as the Bulldogs defeated Cal State Bakersfield 78-59. He made five of eleven shots from the floor, two of six three-point attempts and all three free throws.
Manny Harris of Michigan finished with 22 points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals as the Wolverines knocked off Minnesota 83-55. He was eight of twelve from the field, two of two from three-point range and all four free throws.
Trevor Booker of Clemson had 21 points, nine caroms, five assists and three blocked shots to lead the Tigers to a 91-81 win over Georgia Tech. He made eight of eleven shots from the field and four of eleven from the line. The win gave Clemson their 21st win of the season and guaranteed them a winning record in the ACC
Ed Davis from North Carolina was sidelined with injuries and did not play the Tar Heels’ win on Tuesday.
Monday’s Wooden Watch
Two midseason John R. Wooden Award candidates square off each Monday night.
Da’Sean Butler of #8 West Virginia had a well-rounded game in the Mountaineers’ 81-68 win over #20 Georgetown. He had 22 points, six rebounds and six assists in the Big East win. He made seven of 16 shots from the field, two of seven from three-point range and six of seven from the charity stripe. West Virginia improved to 23-6 with the victory as they are eyeing a number two seed.
Greg Monroe finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists in the Big East loss. The sophomore made eight of 15 shots from the field and six of nine from the line. The Hoyas have lost four of their past five games.
Damion James bounced back from a twelve points and one rebound effort against Texas A&M as #25 Texas defeated Oklahoma 87-76. The senior forward made eight of 14 from the field and eight of twelve from the charity stripe. James became the Big 12’s all-time leading rebounder earlier this season. The Longhorns are 5-5 in their last ten games.
Sunday’s Wooden Watch
Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler combined for 41 points as they led the #5 Blue Devils to a 67-49 win over Virginia. The senior Scheyer bounced back from a poor shooting effort against Tulsas, making eight of 14 from the field and four of seven from beyond the arc. He finished with 20 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Singler finished with 21 points, three rebounds and three assists. The junior forward made six of ten from the field, two of five three-pointers and seven of nine free throws.
Kalin Lucas of Michigan State had eight points to lead the #14 Spartans to a 53-44 win over #3 Purdue. He made three of eight from the field and both free throws.
Robbie Hummel from Purdue suffered a torn ACL in the #3 Boilermakers’ 59-58 victory over Minnesota Wednesday. He will miss the remainder of the season.
Jerome Dyson of Connecticut made six of 13 shots from the field as he finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists and two steals in a 78-76 loss to Louisville.
Trevor Booker of Clemson had a double-double as he finished with 19 points and eleven caroms to lead the Tigers to a 53-50 win over Florida State. He made six of eight from the field and seven of nine from the line. The win gave Clemson their 20th win of the season, which should get them into the NCAA Tournament.
Saturday’s Wooden Watch
Wesley Johnson had his eleventh double-double of the year as he helped lead the #4 Orangemen to a 95-77 over #8 Villanova. The junior forward had a well-rounded game as he finished with 14 points, ten rebounds and four assists. He was two of eleven from the field, two of six from three-point range and made eight of ten free throws.
Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds led the #8 Wildcats with 16 points in the loss. He added three assists and three steals as he made six of 14 shots from the field and four of eight from three-point range.
Greg Monroe finished with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists, but it was not enough as the #13 Hoyas fell to Notre Dame 78-64. The sophomore made four of seven shots from the field and seven of eight from the line.
Matt Bouldin of #18 Gonzaga was held to just four of 14 shooting as the Bulldogs defeated San Francisco 75-69. He made one of six three-point attempts and made both free throws as he had eleven points, five rebounds and five assists.
St. Mary’s senior center Omar Samhan scored 33 points in an 88-80 win over Loyola Marymount. He made 14 of 22 shots from the field and five of eight from the line. Samhan added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Quincy Pondexter helped Washington defeat in-state rival Washington State 59-52. He finished with seven points and seven rebounds as the senior made three of eleven shots from the field.
Washington State sophomore Klay Thompson was held to just five points in the loss to the Huskies. Thompson made just two of 14 shots from the field and one of seven from three-point range. He added six caroms and three assists.
Evan Turner continued to make a strong case as Wooden Award finalist with another well-rounded game in #9 Ohio State’s 66-55 win over Michigan. The junior made eight of eleven shots from the field and two of three free throws as he finished with 18 points, eleven rebounds, seven assists and four blocked shots.
Manny Harris of Michigan was held to one of eight shooting from the field as he missed all five three-point attempts in the loss to the Buckeyes. However, he made eight of nine free throws as he finished with ten points, three rebounds and three assists.
James Anderson from Oklahoma State bounced back from a 14- point effort against Texas to lead the Cowboys to an 85-77 upset win over #1 Kansas. He made nine of 19 shots from the field, four of six from three-point range and five of six free throws as he finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
Senior point guard Sherron Collins had 22 points, four rebounds and four assists in the loss. He made seven of 16 shots from the field, four of nine three-point attempts and four of six free throws.
Freshman Xavier Henry added 17 points as he sank six of twelve shots from the floor, two of six from beyond the arc and three of four from the charity stripe. He added four caroms.
Cole Aldrich finished with his eleven points, five caroms and three steals. He made five of nine shots from the field.
John Wall and Patrick Patterson of #2 ranked Kentucky combined for 29 points as the Wildcats fell to Tennessee 74-65.
Freshman guard Wall made six of 16 shots from the field and six of eight from the line as he finished with 19 points, five rebounds and six assists in their second loss of the season.
Patterson made four of six shots from the floor and two of four attempts from the charity stripe as he chipped in with ten points, five boards and two blocked shots.
Damion James was held to just twelve points and one rebound as #21 Texas fell to #23 Texas A&M 74-58. The senior forward made four of ten from the field, one of two three-pointers and three of four from the charity stripe. James became the Big 12’s all-time leading rebounder earlier this season.
Darrington Hobson made a game-saving blocked shot as the #12 ranked New Mexico Lobos edged #11 BYU 83-81. The junior college transfer made eight of 18 shots from the field and three of seven from three-point range as he finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Jimmer Fredette of #11 BYU was bothered by a stomach problem as he was held to just six points, two rebounds and two assists in the Mountain West Conference loss. He made three of seven shots from the field and missed both attempts from three-point range.
Mississippi State center Jarvis Varnado had a double-double as he finished 19 points and twelve rebounds in a 76-63 win over South Carolina. He made eight of 13 shots from the field and three of four from the charity stripe. Varnado, who is second in the country with 5.1 blocked shots per game, had just one block in the SEC win, which moved the Bulldogs back into NCAA Tournament consideration.
Da’Sean Butler of #7 West Virginia had a well-rounded game in the Mountaineers’ 74-68 win over Cincinnati. He had eight points, seven rebounds and five assists in the Big East win. He made three of twelve shots from the field, one of five from three-point range and one of two from the charity stripe.
Jeremy Lin of Harvard made nine of 13 attempts from the field, two of three from beyond the arc and all six shots from the charity stripe as he finished with 26 points, five rebounds, three assists and five steals in an 78-58 win over Yale. It was the Crimson’s third straight win by 20 points.
Luke Harangody of Notre Dame and Ed Davis from North Carolina were sidelined with injuries and did not play their team’s wins on Saturday.
Friday’s Wooden Watch
Butler, ranked #10 in the country by ESPN/USA Today, won their 18th straight game with a 74-69 win over
Valparaiso, despite missing Gordon Hayward, who was out with a back injury. Hayward leads the Bulldogs in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
Jeremy Lin of Harvard had a well-rounded game as he led the Crimson to a 91-71 win over Brown. Lin had eight points, six rebounds and seven assists as he made two of five shots from the field and four of six from the line. He is fifth in the Ivy League in scoring, second in assists and first in steals.
Thursday’s Wooden Watch
Thursday saw a light evening of action for John R. Wooden candidates, but the players had key roles in their nationally ranked teams giving key wins.
Matt Bouldin of #15 Gonzaga was held in check, but the Bulldogs rolled to an 88-51 win over Santa Clara. He had seven points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals. Bouldin made two of nine shots from the field and three of four free throws.
John Wall and Patrick Patterson of #2 ranked Kentucky led the Wildcats to an 82-61 win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks had upset Kentucky earlier this season, giving them their only loss of the year.
Freshman guard Wall made four of 15 from the field and all four attempts from the line as he finished with twelve points, five rebounds and four assists.
Patterson made ten of twelve shots from the floor and two of three attempts from the charity stripe as he finished with 23 points, eight boards and four blocked shots.
Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler led the #5 Blue Devils to a 70-52 win over Tulsa. The senior Scheyer struggled with his shooting, making just five of 16 from the field. However, he was three of five from beyond the arc and made both attempts from the free throw line and added four rebounds and three assists to go along with his 15 points.
Singler finished with 17 points and five rebounds. The junior forward made four of twelve from the field and nine of eleven free throws.
