Kansas junior Marcus Morris has been named Big 12 Player of the Year and leads the 2011 edition of the All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball accolades, it was announced. Dogus Balbay (Texas) earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition, while Ricardo Ratliffe (Missouri) is the top newcomer. Tristan Thompson (Texas) is the Freshman of the Year, while Quincy Acy (Baylor) and Levi Knutson (Colorado) share the Sixth Man Award. Bill Self of Kansas is the Big 12 Coach of the Year.

Morris led the Jayhawks to another Big 12 regular season championship after averaging 17.3 points and 7.0 rebounds. He shot 59.7 percent from the field, a mark that was ranked in the top 10 nationally in the latest rankings. He improved those totals in league play, finishing with 18.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest while shooting 60.6 percent. Morris’ honor marks the sixth time a Kansas athlete has won Player of the Year and first since Wayne Simien in 2004-05.

Balbay is considered one of the top defenders in the nation. He often drew the assignment of defending the top guards in the Conference, shutting them down on many occasions. He is among the UT career leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio and is first on the squad with a 2.40 mark in 2010-11. Balbay is the second Longhorn (LaMarcus Aldridge, 2005-06) to win defensive recognition.

Ratliffe led Missouri in rebounding, was second in blocks and ranked third on the team in scoring in his initial campaign in Columbia. The junior forward also shot a team-best 57.8 percent from the field, while improving to 59.5 percent in Big 12 competition. He has six outings with 10 or more rebounds en route to becoming the third Tiger in the last five years to be named top newcomer.

Thompson is the fourth freshman under head coach Rick Barnes to be tabbed for this honor. The native of Ontario, Canada placed second in the Big 12 overall in rebounding (240), a total that is 10th on the league’s freshman year rebounding chart. He was second for UT in scoring with 13.5 points per game and also had a Big 12-best 70 blocked shots.

Acy gave his team a spark off the bench in 75 percent of league games, finishing third on his squad with 10.4 points per game. He led BU with 7.4 rebounds per contest, while connecting at a .530 clip from the field. The junior had 44 blocks, ranking fourth in the Big 12. Acy is the second Baylor athlete in the last three seasons to be named top sixth man.

Knutson is the first Colorado player to earn the Sixth Man Award and just the third Buffs player in league history to win a major award. He ranked third on CU with 12.1 points per game, while shooting 52.6 percent from the field. He also shot 90 percent from the free throw line, a total that would have ranked second in the league had he met the statistical minimums.

Self is named the Big 12’s top coach for the third time. He led the Jayhawks to a stellar 14-2 campaign and garnered the program’s 11th shared or outright Big 12 regular season crown in the 15-year history of the conference. Kansas has 29 victories for the fourth time in five seasons, including a 9-1 mark in true road games and a 13-1 record away from Allen Fieldhouse.

The All-Big 12 First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention teams were also announced, while conference coaches also selected All-Defensive and All-Rookie Teams. Alec Burks (Colorado) and Jacob Pullen (Kansas State) were unanimous first team selections, while Pullen was the lone repeat choice on the first team from last year’s squad.

The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Player of the Year
Marcus Morris, Kansas, F, Jr., 6-9, 235, Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter/APEX Academy [N.J.]

Defensive Player of the Year
Dogus Balbay, Texas, G, Sr., 6-1, 175, Istanbul, Turkey/Brewster Academy [N.H.]

Newcomer of the Year
Ricardo Ratliffe, Missouri, F, Jr., 6-8, 240, Hampton, Va./Kecoughtan/Central Florida CC

Freshman of the Year
Tristan Thompson, Texas, F, Fr., 6-8, 225, Brampton, Ontario/Findlay Prep [Nev.]

Sixth Man Award
Quincy Acy, Baylor, F, Jr., 6-7, 225, Mesquite, Texas/Horn
Levi Knutson, Colorado, G, Sr., 6-4, 200, Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe

Coach of the Year
Bill Self, Kansas [Career: 438-150, 18th season; At KU: 231-45, 8th season]

ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown/Previous School(s)
LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor	G	6-4	200	Sr.	Monroe, La./Excelsior Christian School
Alec Burks, Colorado**	G	6-6	195	So.	Grandview, Mo./Grandview
Marcus Morris, Kansas	F	6-9	235	Jr.	Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter/APEX Academy [N.J.]
Jacob Pullen, Kansas State**	G	6-0	200	Sr.	Maywood, Ill./Proviso East
Marcus Denmon, Missouri	G	6-3	185	Jr.	Kansas City, Mo./Hogan Prep
Jordan Hamilton, Texas	G/F	6-7	220	So.	Compton, Calif./Dominguez
ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown/Previous School(s)
Perry Jones III, Baylor	F/C	6-11	235	Fr.	Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville
Diante Garrett, Iowa State	G	6-4	190	Sr.	Milwaukee, Wis./Vincent
Markieff Morris, Kansas	F	6-10	252	Jr.	Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter/APEX Academy [N.J.]
Tristan Thompson, Texas	F	6-8	225	Fr.	Brampton, Ontario/Findlay Prep [Nev.]
Khris Middleton, Texas A&M	F	6-7	215	So.	North Charleston, S.C./Porter-Gaud
ALL-BIG 12 THIRD TEAM
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown/Previous School(s)
Cory Higgins, Colorado	G	6-5	180	Sr.	Danville, Calif./Monte Vista/ The Pendleton School [Fla.]
Rodney McGruder, Kansas State	G	6-4	205	So.	Washington, D.C./Arlington Country Day [Fla.]
Lance Jeter, Nebraska	G	6-3	222	Sr.	Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls/Cincinnati/Polk CC [Fla.]
Marshall Moses, Oklahoma State	F	6-7	255	Sr.	Aiken, S.C./The Patterson School [N.C.]
Gary Johnson, Texas	F	6-6	238	Sr.	Houston, Texas/Aldine
David Loubeau, Texas A&M	F	6-8	230	Jr.	Miami, Fla./Westlake Prep
ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION (Listed alphabetically by school)
Quincy Acy (Baylor), Scott Christopherson (Iowa State), Brady Morningstar (Kansas), Tyrel Reed (Kansas), Laurence Bowers (Missouri), Ricardo Ratliffe (Missouri), Cade Davis (Oklahoma), Andrew Fitzgerald (Oklahoma), Cory Joseph (Texas), B.J. Holmes (Texas A&M), John Roberson (Texas Tech)
BIG 12 ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown/Previous School(s)
Brady Morningstar, Kansas	G	6-4	185	Sr.	Lawrence, Kan./Free State/New Hampton Prep [N.H.]
Jacob Pullen, Kansas State	G	6-0	200	Sr.	Maywood, Ill./Proviso East
Laurence Bowers, Missouri	F	6-8	210	Jr.	Memphis, Tenn./St. George’s
Dogus Balbay, Texas	G	6-1	175	Sr.	Istanbul, Turkey/Brewster Academy [N.H.]
Tristan Thompson, Texas	F	6-8	225	Fr.	Brampton, Ontario/Findlay Prep [Nev.]
BIG 12 ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown/Previous School(s)
Perry Jones III, Baylor**	F/C	6-11	235	Fr.	Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville
Ricardo Ratliffe, Missouri	F	6-8	240	Jr.	Hampton, Va./Kecoughtan/Central Florida CC
Jéan-Paul Olukemi, Oklahoma State	F	6-5	215	So.	LaHabra, Calif./Stoneridge Prep/Vincennes University
Cory Joseph, Texas	G	6-3	185	Fr.	Toronto, Ontario/Findlay Prep [Nev.]
Tristan Thompson, Texas**	F	6-8	225	Fr.	Brampton, Ontario/Findlay Prep [Nev.]

** - Unanimous Selection
Ties in the voting created additional spots for the All-Big 12 First and Third Teams