Winston, Davidson Honored By Coaches With All-SEC Nods

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Southeastern Conference unveiled its men's basketball postseason awards Wednesday to cap off one of the most competitive seasons in league history, and two University of Alabama players were among the men the coaches honored for outstanding play this season.

Alabama sophomore forward Kennedy Winston of Prichard got the coaches' nod and selection as First Team All-SEC. Winston finished the season ranked third in the league in scoring in SEC vs. SEC games with his average of 18.9 points in 16 SEC games, including an average of 22.4 points a game in his last five league games, two of those against Mississippi State, two others on the road at Auburn and at Arkansas and another at home against Ole Miss.

Crimson Tide freshman Jermareo Davidson kept Alabama's streak of first year award winners alive as he was voted Freshman All-SEC. He was a unanimous choice. The Atlanta center has started in 22 of Alabama's 27 games this season and averages 5.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. Among all players in the SEC, he ranks sixth in the league in blocked shots, batting down 36 field goal attempts so far this season. Alabama has had a freshman on the SEC Coaches Freshman All-SEC team for four consecutive seasons now. Gerald Wallace was Freshman All-SEC in 2001, Mo Williams in 2002, and Kennedy Winston in 2003.

Southeastern Conference Champion Mississippi State earned two 2004 SEC coaches' postseason awards as junior forward Lawrence Roberts was selected SEC Player of the Year and forward Shane Power was tabbed the first annual SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the league's coaches. Head Coach Dave Odom was chosen SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and LSU forward Brandon Bass earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors. In two other first-year awards, Georgia's Rashad Wright earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors and Vanderbilt's Scott Hundley was named the SEC's Sixth Man of the Year.

Odom led his Gamecocks from fifth place in the Eastern Division in 2003 at 12-16 overall and 5-11 in conference play, to third place in the Eastern Division in 2004 at currently 21-9 overall, 8-8 in SEC play. He is the first South Carolina coach to win the award since Eddie Fogler in 1997. Odom guided his squad to their turnaround this year after being picked in the preseason to finish last in the East Division. In three seasons in Columbia, he has compiled a 55-40 (.579) record.

Roberts garnered SEC Player of the Year honors in leading Mississippi State to both the SEC and West Division titles. He becomes the first Bulldog player to win the honor since the award was voted on by the coaches starting in 1987. MSU's Jeff Malone earned UPI SEC Player of the Year honors in 1983. Roberts was a unanimous All-SEC First Team selection.

Shane Power earned the inaugural SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, starting Mississippi State's last 13 games while sporting a 3.22 grade-point average in Sports Communication. He is currently a member of Mississippi State's Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization and MSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

Brandon Bass was selected for the SEC Freshman of the Year award. Bass leads all SEC freshmen with 12.7 ppg and ranks second in the league in blocks (2.00 bpg). Bass was also one of three unanimous picks for the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Rashad Wright earned the inaugural SEC Defensive Player of the Year award, leading the SEC in steals in league play with 2.6 spg.

Scott Hundley was tabbed SEC Sixth Man of the Year, leading Vanderbilt's deep bench with 7.3 ppg (fourth best on the team) despite playing only 19.4 minutes per game.

A complete list of the 2004 SEC Men's Basketball postseason awards follows.

First Team All-SEC

Athlete	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Kennedy Winston, Alabama	F	6-6	205	So.	Prichard, Ala.
Anthony Roberson, Florida	G	6-1	180	So.	Saginaw, Mich.
Erik Daniels, Kentucky	F	6-8	214	Sr.	Cincinnati, Ohio
Gerald Fitch, Kentucky	G	6-3	188	Sr.	Macon, Ga.
Justin Reed, Ole Miss	F	6-8	240	Sr.	Jackson, Miss.
Timmy Bowers, Miss. State	G	6-2	190	Sr.	Gulfport, Miss.
Lawrence Roberts, Miss. St.#	F/C	6-9	235	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Matt Freije, Vanderbilt#	F	6-9	230	Sr.	Shawnee Mi., Kan.

Second Team All-SEC

Athlete	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Jonathon Modica, Arkansas	G/F	6-4	200	So.	Smackover, Ark.
Marco Killingsworth, Auburn	F	6-7	235	Jr.	Montgomery, Ala.
David Lee, Florida	F	6-9	249	Jr.	St. Louis, Mo.
Matt Walsh, Florida	F	6-6	205	So.	Holland, Pa.
Rashad Wright, Georgia	G	6-3	195	Sr.	Statesboro, Ga.
Chuck Hayes, Kentucky	F	6-6	247	Jr.	Modesto, Calif.
Jaime Lloreda, LSU	F	6-9	246	Sr.	Colon, Panama
Scooter McFadgon, Tennessee	G	6-5	207	Jr.	Memphis, Tenn.

SEC All-Freshman Team

Athlete	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
Jermareo Davidson, Alabama#	F	6-10	210	Atlanta, Ga.
Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas#	G	6-6	190	Fayetteville, Ark.
Olu Famutimi, Arkansas	G/F	6-5	207	Flint, Mich.
Levi Stukes, Georgia	G	6-1	180	Randallstown, Md.
Brandon Bass, LSU#	F	6-8	250	Baton Rouge, La.
Todd Abernethy, Ole Miss	G	6-1	190	Carmel, Ind.
Gary Ervin, Miss. State#	G	5-11	170	Brooklyn, N.Y.
Renaldo Balkman, S. Carolina	F	6-7	198	Tampa, Fla.

SEC Coach of the Year: Dave Odom, South Carolina
SEC Player of the Year: Lawrence Roberts, Mississippi State
SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Shane Power, Mississippi State
SEC Freshman of the Year: Brandon Bass, LSU
SEC Sixth Man of the Year: Scott Hundley, Vanderbilt
SEC Defensive Player of the Year: Rashad Wright, Georgia

#-Unanimous Selection; Ties are not broken

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