March 27, 2006
Senior guards Randy Foye and Allan Ray each were named Associated Press All-Americans today. Foye was one of five players chosen for the first team, while Ray earned a spot on the third team.
Foye averaged a team-best 20.5 points per game this season, and his 677 total points on the year were the seventh-most in a single season in school history. He was named the Big East Player of the Year and averaged a team-high 23.8 points in four NCAA Tournament games. For the season, Foye also averaged 5.7 rebounds per game and was second on the team in steals despite often being matched up against the opposing team's power forward due to Villanova's four-guard lineup.
"It's an honor to be selected as an AP All-America with such great players," Foye said. "It's an honor for my family, my school and our fans, and I'm very grateful to everyone involved, especially my teammates and coaches."
Ray and Foye were the Wildcats top two scorers throughout the season and combined to average 39.0 points per game. Ray averaged 18.5 points per game on the season and scored 64 points in the NCAA Tournament. He set a new school record with 107 three-pointers this season and matched Foye by leading the team in scoring in 16 different games. Ray was chosen for the All-Big East First Team and is a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year award.
J.J. Redick of Duke and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga spent all season locked in a bicoastal scoring race. Fittingly, they ended it as the only unanimous selections for The Associated Press' All-America men's basketball team.
Redick, the most prolific 3-point scorer in college history, was a repeat choice. He and Morrison were joined on the first team Monday by Redick's teammate Shelden Williams, Randy Foye of Villanova and Brandon Roy, Washington's first All-America in 53 years.
Redick and Morrison gave fans a "Can you top this?" scoring competition that ended with both receiving all 72 first-team votes from members of the national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. The voting took place before the NCAA Tournament.
Morrison, the only junior on an otherwise all-senior first team, won the scoring title with a 28.4 average, just ahead of Redick's 27.4. Morrison shot 43.7 percent from 3-point range, while Redick hit 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Morrison said being an All-American isn't "something you think about receiving when you start your collegiate career, but to be associated with some of the great names of college basketball is an honor. I guess to be a unanimous pick with J.J. seems only fitting since the two of us have been followed so closely this year. He's a great player."
Morrison is Gonzaga's second All-American, joining Dan Dickau in 2002.
This is the second time in three years there were two unanimous selections. In 2004, Jameer Nelson of Saint Joseph's and Emeka Okafor of Connecticut were unanimous.
Redick is the first repeat first-teamer since Jason Williams, another Duke guard, in 2001 and 2002.
Redick and Williams, a senior center who averaged 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the field, are the ninth set of teammates to be selected to the first team and the first since Jason Williams and Shane Battier of Duke in 2001.
Duke, the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, was the only team besides Connecticut to be ranked No. 1 in the AP poll this season. The Blue Devils won both the regular season and tournament championships in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Roy is Washington's first All-American since Bob Houbregs in 1953.
Roy, a 6-6 swingman, averaged 19.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line.
Dee Brown of Illinois was the leading vote-getter on the second team and was joined by fellow senior Rodney Carney of Memphis, junior P.J. Tucker of Texas and sophomores Rudy Gay of Connecticut and Leon Powe of California.
The third team includes seniors Craig Smith of Boston College and Allan Ray of Villanova, junior Nick Fazekas of Nevada, sophomore Glen Davis of LSU and freshman Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina.
The preseason All-America team this season was Redick, Morrison, Williams, Brown and Smith.
AP All-America teamsFirst team:• Adam Morrison, Gonzaga, junior• J.J. Redick, Duke, senior• Randy Foye, Villanova, senior• Shelden Williams, Duke, senior• Brandon Roy, Washington, seniorSecond team:• Dee Brown, Illinois, senior• Rodney Carney, Memphis, senior• Rudy Gay, Connecticut, sophomore• P.J. Tucker, Texas, junior• Leon Powe, California, sophomoreThird team:• Craig Smith, Boston College, senior• Glen Davis, LSU, sophomore• Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, freshman• Nick Fazekas, Nevada, junior• Allan Ray, Villanova, senior
