Pac-10 Announces Men's Basketball All-Conference Honors

PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE YEAR

AFFLALO makes his second All-Pac-10 appearance. He was also named to the All- Pac 10 Freshman team in 2005. He leads the Bruins, and is third in the conference, averaging 17.2 points per game. Afflalo has scored in double figures in 29 consecutive games and his led the Bruins in scoring in 17 games this year. He's currently the Pac-10's active scoring leader with 1,447 career points, which ranks 21st on UCLA's all-time scoring list. His 199 career three-pointers rank second all-time in Bruin history. He's started 97 of a possible 98 games during his career. He becomes the fifth different Bruin to be honored as Pac-10 Player of the Year, joining Marques Johnson (1977), David Greenwood (1978, 79), Kenny Fields (1983) and Ed O'Bannon (1995).

PAC-10 ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

BUDINGER becomes the first Wildcat to earn Pac-10 Freshman of the Year since Salim Stoudamire in 2002, and the fifth Wildcat overall to earn the rookie honor. He's seventh in the league in scoring (15.8 ppg) and 12th in rebounding (5.9 rpg). He's started all 29 games this season and ranks 10th in the league in minutes played with 33.21 per game, wich is second among all Pac-10 freshmen. He's posted a pair of 30-plus point games this season, including a career-best 32-point effort against Northern Arizona in his home debut on Nov. 15.

PAC-10 COACH OF THE YEAR

BENNETT, 37, has guided WASHINGTON STATE to a 24-6 record, including a 13-5 mark and second-place finish in Pac-10 play. It's the Cougars best league mark and finish since posting a 14-4 record for a second-place finish in 1982-83. The 24 victories are the most by a Washington State squad since the 1940-41 team posted a 26-6 record. Bennett becomes the fourth coach to earn the honor in his first season in the Pac-10. He joins Gary Cunningham (UCLA, 1977-78), Jim Anderson (OSU, 1989-90) and Ben Braun (CAL, 1996-97) as first time winners in their debut seasons in the Pac-10. Bennett becomes the third Cougar coach to be honored, joining George Raveling (1975-76 and 1982-83) and Kelvin Sampson (1990-91).

ALL-CONFERENCE NOTES

BY CLASS: 1 senior, 4 juniors, 4 sophomores. All-time low for seniors on the All-Conference team. Previous low was two (2003-04, 1993-94 and 1997-98).

BY SCHOOL:

All-Pac-10
UCLA, WSU - two players each
ARIZ, ORE, STAN, USC, WASH - one player each

Pac-10 All-Freshman
ARIZ, CAL, ORE, STAN, USC, WASH - one player each

DOUBLE-UP: UCLA and WASHINGTON STATE each put a pair of teammates on the All-Conference team. Since 1978-79, it's the 19th time the Bruins have placed multiple players on the squad. For the Cougars, it's just the third time with multiple players (also in 1979-80 and 1995-96).

THE STREAK: ARIZONA has placed a player on the All-Conference team for each of the last 24 seasons. STANFORD is next with 13.

THE VOTE: Coach of the Year, All-Conference and All-Freshman teams are voted on by the coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for themselves or their own players for the honors. Players must be listed on 50 percent of the ballots cast by the coaches to be selected. The last time the Pac-10 had an all-league team with nine players was during the 1984-85 season.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., - In a vote of the 10 Conference coaches, UCLA junior guard Arron Afflalo has been named the 2006-07 Pacific-10 Men's Basketball Player of the Year, ARIZONA forward Chase Budinger has been named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and Tony Bennett of WASHINGTON STATE is the Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

See more at www.pac-10.org