Villanova's Hilliard is Big 5 Player of the Year
Wildcats sweep Big 5 prizes, including Jay Wright as top coach, Phil Booth as top rookie and Daniel Ochefu as most improved.
DARRUN HILLIARD had the second-best scoring game of his Villanova career in his final game. In fact, if the game had gone maybe another minute, he might have a found a way to will his team past North Carolina State on Saturday. He finished with 27 points, including nine in the final 90 seconds. He just ran out of time.
Hilliard had a wonderful season, averaging 14.3 points while making 79 threes and shooting almost 39 percent from the arc. He had the game-winner at Butler on Feb. 14, when he scored a career-best 31 points.
Yesterday, Hilliard was named the 2014-15 Big 5 Player of the Year. It was a fitting honor for a player who never stopped getting better until there were no more games to play.
Villanova, which went 4-0 in the Big 5 again, swept the awards for Coach of the Year (Jay Wright), Rookie of the Year (Phil Booth) and Most Improved (Daniel Ochefu).
Hilliard is joined on the first team by teammate Ryan Arcidiacono, DeAndre' Bembry (Saint Joseph's), Will Cummings (Temple) and Jordan Price (La Salle).
The second team is Ochefu and JayVaughn Pinkston (Villanova), Jerrell Wright (La Salle), Jaylen Bond (Temple) and Quenton DeCosey (Temple).
The Big 5 banquet, which will also include the induction of the newest Hall of Fame class, is April 13 at the Palestra.