OU’s Romero Osby named first-team All-Big 12

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March 11, 2013

OU’s Romero Osby named first-team All-Big 12

By John Shinn The Norman Transcript The Norman Transcript Mon Mar 11, 2013, 01:16 AM CDT

NORMAN — Romero Osby carried Oklahoma this season and those efforts were rewarded by the Big 12 Conference’s coaches Sunday. Osby became the first Sooner since Blake Griffin to be named first-team All-Big 12.

The senior averaged 15.7 points per game and 6.9 rebounds, but put up better numbers in conference play. In Big 12 games, Osby led the league in field goals (109), was second in scoring (17.8), third in field-goal percentage (54 percent) and fifth in rebounding (7.3). His 77.6-percent accuracy at the free-throw line also ranked fifth.

During the 18-game conference schedule, Osby was the Sooners’ leading scorer in 13 games, and scored at least 12 points in 17 of those games. Osby also led OU (20-11, 11-7 Big 12) with 26 blocked shots and 20 charges taken.

Kansas center Jeff Withey, Kansas guard Ben McLemore, Kansas State guard Rodney McGruder and Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart, who was also named the conference’s player of the year and freshman of the year, joined Osby on the first team.

The Sooners placed two players on the All-Big 12 third team. Senior guard Steven Pledger was named to the team after averaging 12.0 points per game. He finished third in the conference with 2.3 made 3-pointers per game and his 37.3-percent shooting from beyond the arc was sixth best in the conference. Pledger has made 247 3-pointers during his career and is 12 short of matching OU’s all-time record.

Junior forward Amath M’Baye was named to two teams Sunday.

He joined Pledger on the third team and was also voted onto the all-rookie squad.

M’Baye averaged 10.3 points per game during the regular season and 5.3 rebounds. Much like Osby, M’Baye numbers improved in conference play. The Wyoming transfer shot 82.9 percent from the free-throw line and 40 percent from 3-point range in league games. Twice this season, M’Baye was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week.

The announcement of the All-Big 12 awards coincided with the end of the regular season. The voting was done by the conference’s head coaches. They were not allowed to vote for their own players.

The Big 12 tournament begins Wednesday at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. OU, which finished tied for fourth in the league, received a first-round bye as the tournament’s fourth seed. It will face fifth-seeded Iowa State in the quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

John Shinn

Follow me @john_shinn

jshinn@normantranscript.com

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