UA News

Arizona's Derrick Williams has been named to Sporting News' All-Freshman Team. Also, he and Nic Wise earned All-Pac-10 Honors.

University of Arizona men's basketball player Derrick Williams was named to the Sporting News all-Freshman team, the publication announced Monday.
 
Williams, a 6-foot-8 forward from La Mirada, Calif., was one of five players named to the team. Others included John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky, Xavier Henry of Kansas and Derrick Favors of Georgia Tech.

A starter in 29 of 30 appearances, Williams posted team-leading totals of 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and a .588 (157 of 267) field goal, or FG, percentage. He has finished in double figures 27 times and has nine 20-point games and four double-doubles to his credit.

Williams closed the regular season ranked eighth in the Pacific-10 Conference in scoring at 15.7, fifth in rebounding at 7.0, fourth in FG percentage at .588, third in defensive rebounds at 4.9 and eighth in offensive rebounds at 2.2.

He scored a season-high 28 points during the Dec. 2 against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels. He also set a school record with 21 free throw attempts the the Nov. 23 game against the University of Wisconsin Badgers.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats face No. 5 seed Bruins of the University of California, Los Angeles. The game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports Net.

Also, Williams and Nic Wise received recognition in voting done by the Pac-10 league's head coaches, garnering Freshman of the Year kudos.

Williams is the sixth Wildcat to earn Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors, and just the 16th freshman since the league expanded to 10 teams in 1978-79 to earn all-conference accolades.  

Wise, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior guard from Houston, Texas, was a first-team all-Pac-10 pick after averaging 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 30 appearances. Wise shoots 38.5 percent (125 of 325) from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range (49 of 135) and 87.4 percent (132 of 151) from the free throw line to go with a team-leading 53 steals.

Wise also has scored in double figures 22 times this season, including two 30-point games. Wise was a second-team all-conference selection last season.

Williams and Wise are the 54th and 55th Arizona players to earn all-Pac-10 honors since the school joined the league in 1978-79.

Arizona (16-14, 10-8 Pac-10) will next be in action on Thursday at 12:10 p.m. PST during the 2010 Pacific Life Pac-10 Men's Basketball Tournament.