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Nerlens Noel named SEC Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year, Wiltjer Sixth Man

Nerlens Noel was named the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year to lead a multitude of honors for the Wildcats as voted on by the league’s coaches
Nerlens Noel - photo by Tammie Brown | WildatWorld.com

– photo by Tammie Brown | WildatWorld.com

freshman Nerlens Noel was named the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year to lead a multitude of honors for the Wildcats as voted on by the league’s coaches, it was announced on Tuesday. In addition to Freshman of the Year accolades, Noel was also named the league’s top performing defensive player. Sophomore was tabbed as the Sixth Man of the Year to add to the honors for the Wildcats.

Noel also earned All-SEC first team, All-Defensive team and All- Freshman team honors. He was joined on the All-Freshman team by Willie Cauley-Stein, and .

Noel averaged 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in 24 games played. He logged 106 blocked shots and 50 steals to become just the second player in school history to amass 100 or more blocked shots in a season. His 50 steals were the fifth-most by a Kentucky freshman in a single season.

The Everett, Mass., native is the fifth Wildcat to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors and the fourth consecutive honoree, joining Anthony Davis (2012), (2011), (2010) and (2008). His honor as the Defensive Player of the Year is the third such accolade in school history. Davis (2012) and Chucky Hayes (2005) preceded him in winning the award.

Wiltjer captured SEC Sixth Man of the Year honors after averaging 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He’s scored in double figures in 15 games this season. The Portland, Ore., native earned SEC Player of the Week accolades once during the season and turned in the first 20-point, 10-rebound game of his career in his second year in the blue and white. He’s the second player in school history to win the award after became the first honoree in 2012.

Cauley-Stein averaged 8.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in his freshman campaign. He also added 58 blocks and 23 steals, while shooting at a team-high .631 clip from the field. Cauley-Stein has registered four double-doubles on the season.

Goodwin topped the team in scoring with an average of 14.1 points per outing. He logged 23 double-figure scoring games, and became just the ninth freshman in school history to sink 100 or more free throws in his first season.

Poythress ranked second on the squad in points per game (11.6) and rebounds per game (6.2). He became the first player since in 2008-09 to score 20 or more points in four consecutive games this season. He chipped in with 16 total double-figure scoring outings this year.

A complete list of the 2013 SEC Men’s Basketball postseason awards follows:

First Team All-SEC                                                                           

Trevor Releford, Alabama – G, 6-1, 195, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.
Erik Murphy, Florida – F/C, 6-10, 238, Sr., South Kingstown, R.I.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia – G, 6-5, 205, So., Greenville, Ga.
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky – F, 6-10, 228, Fr., Everett, Mass.
Johnny O’Bryant III, LSU – F, 6-9, 256, So., Cleveland, Miss.
Phil Pressey, Missouri – G, 5-11, 175, Jr., Dallas, Texas
Jordan McRae, Tennessee – G, 6-5, 178, Jr., Midway, Ga.
Elston Turner, Texas A&M – G, 6-5, 209, Sr., Sacramento, Calif.
Second Team All-SEC                                                                     
Marshawn Powell, Arkansas – F, 6-7, 240, Jr., Newport News, Va.
BJ Young, Arkansas – G, 6-3, 180, So, St. Louis, Mo.
Kenny Boynton, Florida – G, 6-2, 190, Sr., Pompano Beach, Fla.
^Mike Rosario, Florida – G, 6-3, 183, Sr., Jersey City, N.J.
^Patric Young, Florida – C, 6-9, 249, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss – G, 6-2, 175, Jr., Hurst, Texas
Murphy Holloway, Ole Miss – F, 6-7, 240, Sr., Irmo, S.C.
Laurence Bowers, Missouri – F, 6-8, 227, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.
Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee – F, 6-8, 270, So., Memphis, Tenn.
SEC All-Freshman Team                                                                
Michael Frazier II, Florida – G, 6-4, 200, Fr., Tampa, Fla.
Charles Mann, Georgia – G, 6-4, 205, Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.
^Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky – F, 7-0, 244, Fr., Olathe, Kan.
Archie Goodwin, Kentucky – G, 6-4.5, 198, Fr., Little Rock, Ark.
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky – F, 6-10, 228, Fr., Everett, Mass.
^Alex Poythress, Kentucky – F, 6-7, 239, Fr., Clarksville, Tenn.
Craig Sword, Mississippi State – G, 6-3, 189, Fr., Montgomery, Ala.
^Gavin Ware, Mississippi State – F, 6-9, 270, Fr., Starkville, Miss.
Michael Carrera, South Carolina – F, 6-5, 212, Fr., Anzoátegui, Venezuela
SEC All-Defensive Team                                                               
^Trevor Releford, Alabama – G, 6-1, 185, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida – G, 6-2, 176, Jr., Gainesville, Fla.
^Patric Young, Florida – C, 6-9, 249, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky – F, 6-10, 228, Fr., Everett, Mass.
Anthony Hickey, LSU – G, 5-11, 178, So., Hopkinsville, Ky.
Reginald Buckner, Ole Miss – F, 6-9, 235, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.
^-Ties are not broken
SEC Coach of the Year: Billy Donovan, Florida
SEC Player of the Year: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia
SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Patric Young, Florida
SEC Freshman of the Year: Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
SEC Sixth-Man of the Year: Kyle Wiltjer, Kentucky
SEC Defensive Player of the Year: Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
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Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter’s Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.

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