UCLA's Love wins Pac-10 player of year, freshman of year awards

UCLA center Kevin Love, left, grabs a rebound in front of Arizona State center Jeff Pendergraph, right, in the first half of an NCAA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

YouNewsTV™

Story Published: Mar 11, 2008 at 12:11 AM MDT

Story Updated: Mar 11, 2008 at 12:11 AM MDT

By Associated Press

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (AP) - UCLA center Kevin Love was named Pac-10 player of the year and freshman of the year Monday in voting by the league's coaches.

Teammate Russell Westbrook was named defensive player of the year.

Stanford's Trent Johnson was chosen coach of the year.

Love is the second freshman to win player of the year since it began in 1976-76, and the third Bruin in four years to win. California's Shareef Abdur-Rahim won in 1996.

Love averaged 17.4 points, 10.9 rebounds and shot .57 percent from the field during the regular season. He scored in double figures in all 31 games and had 19 double-doubles.

Love became the seventh UCLA player to be chosen the league's top player. Arron Afflalo won last year, joining Ed O'Bannon, Kenny Fields, two-time winner David Greenwood and Marques Johnson.

Love also was named to the All-Pac-10 first team. He joined Cal sophomore Ryan Anderson, Arizona State freshman James Harden, Stanford sophomore Brook Lopez and Southern California freshman O.J. Mayo.

UCLA junior Darren Collison, Arizona freshman Jerryd Bayless, Washington junior Jon Brockman, Oregon senior Maarty Leunen and Washington State senior Kyle Weaver were named to the all-league second team.

Current Weather

Current Temp 86 °F

Mostly Cloudy

Video

More Weather

Current Weather

More Weather

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.