March 9, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
IOWA CITY, Iowa – – University of Iowa guards Jake Kelly and Matt Gatens have earned post-season honors in the Big Ten Conference. The Big Ten announced its all-conference teams and individual awards Monday evening following Sunday’s conclusion of the regular season.
Kelly (6-6, 185) is a sophomore from Carmel, IN who was named honorable mention all-Big Ten by both the league coaches and the conference media panel. Gatens (6-5, 215), a freshman from Iowa City, was named to the league’s all-Freshman team, which is selected by conference coaches.
“The recognition is very deserving for both Jake and Matt,” said Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter. “Both have had to fill multiple roles for our basketball team this season, we’re relied on them to play a lot of minutes. Individual awards are not what motivate their play, but they are both worthy of the recognition. Even more gratifying is the fact that they have two and three years remaining, respectively, with our program.”
Kelly is Iowa’s leading scorer with an 11.7 average, including 13.2 points in conference play. He has averaged 20.4 points over Iowa’s last seven games. He scored a career-high 23 points in two games and has scored 17 or more points in seven straight outings. He is shooting 45.4% from the field and 84% from the free throw line and also averages 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Gatens is the only Hawkeye to start all 31 games and leads the team in minutes played at 34.1 per game. He averages 11.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and is third on the team in assists (2.3) and steals (0.7). Gatens is shooting 43.5% from the field, 41.3% from three-point range and 90.4% from the free throw line.
Gatens leads the entire Big Ten in free throw percentage and is on pace to establish a new Iowa season record. He ranks among Iowa’s top freshmen in points, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. He leads Big Ten freshmen in scoring, three-point field goal and free throw percentage and minutes played, and is second in three-point field goals per game.
Ohio State’s William Buford was selected by coaches and media as Freshman of the Year. Gatens and Buford are joined on the all-Freshman team by Ohio State’s B.J. Mullens, Michigan State’s Delvon Roe and Purdue’s Lewis Jackson.
Junior guard Devan Bawinkel was also honored as part of the Big Ten all-conference teams, earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. One member of each Big Ten team is recognized with the Sportsmanship Award at the conclusion of each season. Bawinkel has started eight games and played in all 31, averaging 4.8 points per game. He had a career-high 24 points (eight three-point baskets) in a two-point loss to Ohio State.
Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas was named Player of the Year by both the coaches and media. The coaches selected MSU Coach Tom Izzo as the Coach of the Year, while the media voted that award to Ed Dechellis of Penn State.
Conference coaches selected Travis Walton of Michigan State as Defensive Player of the Year and B.J. Mullens of Ohio State as Sixth Man of the Year.
The coaches and media agreed on the all-Big Ten first team, with Lucas being joined by Michigan’s Manny Harris, Ohio State’s Evan Turner, Penn State’s Talor Battle and Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson. All five are sophomores.
The coaches’ second team includes Illinois’ Mike Davis, MSU’s Goran Suton, Northwestern’s Kevin Coble, Purdue’s E’Twaun Moore and Wisconsin’s Marcus Landry. The third team consists of Illinois’ Demetri McCamey, Michigan’s DeShawn Sims, Northwestern’s Craig Moore, Penn State’s Jamelle Cornley and Purdue’s Robbie Hummel. The media included Sims and Cornley on the second team, moving Davis and Landry to the third team.
Joining Walton on the all-Defensive team are Chester Frazier of Illinois, Damian Johnson of Minnesota and Chris Kramer and JaJuan Johnson of Purdue.
Iowa begins play in the Big Ten Conference Tournament Thursday against Michigan. Game time is 1:35 p.m. CDT at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. The game will be televised to a national cable audience by ESPN2.