Northwestern University Athletics
Tavaras Hardy, Winston Blake Earn All-Big Ten Recognition
3/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Big Ten announced its All-Big Ten Men's Basketball Teams Tuesday morning, and a pair of Northwestern players were honored. It marks the first All-Big Ten picks for the Wildcats since 1999.
Senior forward Tavaras Hardy was named third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches. Junior forward Winston Blake, meanwhile, was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches. It is the first All-Big Ten honor for both players.
Northwestern was not represented on the media's All-Big Ten Teams.
Tavaras Hardy (Sr., F, Joliet, Ill./Providence) finished as Northwestern's third-leading scorer (12.2 ppg) and leading rebounder (6.5 rpg). He also has a team-leading 27 blocked shots and is second on the squad with 68 assists. Hardy scored in double figures 18 times this season and led the team in rebounding in 16 games. He has also accumulated six double-doubles this season, and fallen one point or rebound shy of a double-double on two other occasions. Hardy, who became the 23rd member of NU's 1,000-point club earlier this season, will graduate as the school's all-time leader in games played and started.
Winston Blake (Jr., F, Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) finished the regular season as Northwestern's leading scorer (13.6 ppg), which placed him 13th in the conference standings. He has made 67 three-point baskets this season, good for fifth place on the school's single-season list. Blake has a team-high 23 double-figure scoring games and has led the team in 12 games, including eight Big Ten contests. Only a junior, Blake needs just 144 points to become a member of the 1,000-point club at Northwestern, and he is second on the school's all-time list for three-point baskets (167).
Indiana sophomore Jared Jeffries was a unanimous choice for Big Ten Player of the Year, while Minnesota forward Rick Rickert was the unanimous Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Wisconsin's first-year coach, Bo Ryan, was the media's selection as Big Ten Coach of the Year.
The All-Big Ten Teams:
First Team (Coaches)
Brian Brown, Ohio State
Jared Jeffries, Indiana
Kirk Penney, Wisconsin
Marcus Taylor, Michigan State
Frank Williams, Illinois
Second Team
Brian Cook, Illinois
Tom Coverdale, Indiana
Brent Darby, Ohio State
Reggie Evans, Iowa
Rick Rickert, Minnesota
Third Team
Robert Archibald, Illinois
Willie Deans, Purdue
Tavaras Hardy, Northwestern
Luke Recker, Iowa
Dusty Rychart, Minnesota
Honorable Mention
Travarus Bennett, Minnesota
Winston Blake, Northwestern
Charlie Wills, Wisconsin
Player of the Year: Jared Jeffries, Indiana
Freshman of the Year: Rick Rickert, Minnesota
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Dane Fife, Indiana, Travarus Bennett, Minnesota
First Team (Media)
Brian Brown, Ohio State
Jared Jeffries, Indiana
Kirk Penney, Wisconsin
Marcus Taylor, Michigan State
Frank Williams, Illinois
Second Team
Brian Cook, Illinois
Tom Coverdale, Indiana
Willie Deane, Purdue
Reggie Evans, Iowa
Rick Rickert, Minnesota
Third Team
Adam Ballinger, Michigan State
LaVell Blanchard, Michigan
Brent Darby, Ohio State
Luke Recker, Iowa
Dusty Rychart, Minnesota
Honorable Mention
Robert Archibald, Illinois
Boban Savovic, Ohio State
Sharif Chambliss, Penn State
Player of the Year: Jared Jeffries, Indiana
Freshman of the Year: Rick Rickert, Minnesota
Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
