Basketball Times picks Davis for player of year

Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis earned National Player of the Year honors from the Basketball Times, it was announced Wednesday.

Davis averaged a team-leading 14.3 points and 10.1 rebounds while helping lead the Wildcats to a 36-2 overall record, its second consecutive Final Four berth, an undefeated Southeastern Conference season and regular-season championship.

The Chicago native has logged 175 blocks which is the most in the history of the SEC. He's also been the driving force in that statistical category in helping the Wildcats break the NCAA all-time mark with a running total of 326 for the season. Davis is eight blocks shy of breaking the all-time NCAA mark for freshmen.

Davis owns freshman records for blocks and rebounds by a Kentucky first-year player. He's posted 385 total rebounds, surpassing DeMarcus Cousins' freshman record set in the 2009-10 season. Davis is also one double-double effort shy of breaking the UK freshman record of 20 set by Cousins during the same season.

This story was originally published March 28, 2012 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Basketball Times picks Davis for player of year."