Two More Accolades for Derrick Williams
The Wildcat forward has been named a second-team All-American and has been included on the Wooden Award ballot. Arizona will be in action next on Friday, March 18 at the 2011 NCAA Tournament West Region second round in Tulsa, Okla. against Memphis.

Arizona Athletics
March 15, 2011

University of Arizona men's basketball player Derrick Williams has hauled in a pair of postseason accolades.

Williams was named a second-team All-American in voting done by the United States Basketball Writers Association. He was joined on the second team by Kenneth Faried of Morehead State, Jordan Hamilton of Texas, Ben Hansbrough of Notre Dame and Marcus Morris of Kansas.

First team selections included Jimmer Fredette of BYU, JaJuan Johnson of Purdue, Nolan Smith of Duke, Kemba Walker of Connecticut and Jared Sullinger of Ohio State.

A 6-foot-8, 241-pound sophomore forward from La Mirada, Calif., Williams leads Arizona with per-game averages of 19.1 points and 8.1 rebounds, to go with a .615 (200-of-325) field goal percentage through 34 appearances (all starts). He has scored in double figures 33 times, posted 11 double-doubles and has the two highest single-game rebounding totals in the Pac-10 this season (19 at Washington State on Jan. 22 and 18 at California on Feb. 5).

The 2011 Pacific-10 Conference and USBWA District IX Player of the Year, Williams leads the conference in field goal percentage, has connected on 60.3 percent (35-of-58) of his three-point field goal attempts and ranks in the top 10 in four other statistical categories within the conference: scoring (2nd), rebounding (4th), offensive rebounds (2.7 orpg/5th) and defensive rebounds (5.5 drpg/5th).

Williams' selection as an All-American makes him the 25th Arizona player to earn a total of 88 All-American honors since 1951. He is the first Arizona player to earn second-team honors or better since Jerryd Bayless in 2008 by Sports Illustrated and espn.com.

Additionally, Williams was one of 20 players included on the final ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, given annually to college basketball's player of the year, it was announced today by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

He is one of five sophomores and nine underclassmen to be included on the ballot, and is the only Pac-10 player to be listed.

The Wooden Award All-America teams will be announced during the week of March 21. Final voting for the John R. Wooden Award is due at noon PDT on March 28. The announcement of the 2011 Wooden Award winner will take place in Los Angeles on April 8.

Arizona (27-7, 14-4 Pac-10) will next be in action on Friday, March 18, at the 2011 NCAA Tournament West Region second round in Tulsa, Okla. The fifth-seeded Wildcats face No. 12 seed Memphis at approximately 2 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised nationally by CBS.

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