Mike Cawood
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A trio of Razorbacks was honored by the conference coaches as Anthony Black was voted second team All-SEC and to the SEC All-Freshman team; Ricky Council IV was tabbed second team All-SEC; and Davonte Davis was named to the SEC All-Defensive team.
This is the second straight year two Razorbacks were named to the coaches all-conference team and the 12th time multiple Razorbacks were honored in the same season. Davis gives Arkansas a member of the SEC All-Defensive team for the second-straight year and the seventh time since 2008.
Black was one of two players from the SEC (along with first team pick Kobe Brown) to rank among the league’s top 25 in scoring (20th; 12.8 avg), rebounds (23rd; 5.1 avg.), assists (3rd, 4.2 avg.) and steals (3rd, 2.0 avg.). In league play, his averages went up to 13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals. He was named CBS Sports/USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Nov. 22) for his first four games played (11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals), including a 26-point, 6-assist effort versus Louisville in the Maui Invitational. Later, he was named SEC Freshman of the Week (Nov. 28) as he was named to the Maui Invitational All-Tournament team, leading all players at 23.3 points per game. In addition to his 26 points versus Louisville, he had 26 points and six assists in the loss to Creighton and 15 points in the win over San Diego State.
Council, who leads the SEC in minutes played, ranks third in the SEC in scoring (16.5 ppg), third in free throws made (138) and seventh in field goal percentage (.454). His 87 free throws made and 115 attempts in SEC games currently rank fifth in the school’s record book. Council scored in double figures in 28 of 31 games this season, including 10 games of at least 20 points. He was named SEC Player of the Week (Dec. 5) thanks to a 27-point effort versus Troy and getting 17 points with three steals versus San Jose State. Council, who was the AAC Sixth Man of the Year last season at Wichita State, has improved his scoring (336 points to 513 points), 3’s made (26 to 31), free throws made (90 to 138), assists (45 to 74) and steals (32 to 36) while in a Razorback uniform. He is two points shy of 1,000 for his career.
Davis made the All-Defensive even though he did not rank among the SEC leaders in steals or blocked shots. However, he was recognized for his true defensive prowess as, each game, he was assigned to guard the opponents’ first or second leading scorer. In most cases, he held his man to below his season averages, including eight times holding his man to single-digit scoring. In addition to his defense, Davis turned in his best offensive stretch of his career once SEC play began. He averaged 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 41.5% from 3-point range. In fact, in his first 81 career games, Davis was 29-of-126 (235) from 3-point range. Over the last 16 games, Davis has made 34-of-77 shots (44.15) from 3-point range.
2022-23 SEC Men’s Basketball Coaches Awards
First Team
Brandon Miller, Alabama
Colin Castleton, Florida
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
Tolu Smith, Mississippi State
Kobe Brown, Missouri
Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Liam Robbins, Vanderbilt
Second Team
Mark Sears, Alabama
Anthony Black, Arkansas
Ricky Council IV, Arkansas
Johni Broome, Auburn
Wendell Green Jr., Auburn
KJ Williams, LSU
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M
All-Defensive Team
Charles Bediako, Alabama
Davonte Davis, Arkansas
Colin Castleton, Florida
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Liam Robbins, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Jaden Bradley, Alabama
Noah Clowney, Alabama
Brandon Miller, Alabama
Anthony Black, Arkansas
Riley Kugel, Florida
Chris Livingston, Kentucky
Cason Wallace, Kentucky
Gregory “GG” Jackson II, South Carolina
Julian Phillips, Tennessee
Co-Coach of the Year: Buzz Williams, Texas A&M & Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt
Player of the Year: Brandon Miller, Alabama
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kobe Brown, Missouri
Freshman of the Year: Brandon Miller, Alabama
Co-Sixth-Man of the Year: Jahvon Quinerly, Alabama & Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year: Liam Robbins, Vanderbilt