Coach Jim O’Brien and his Buckeye co-captains, Ken Johnson and Brian Brown, were recognized Monday afternoon as the media and coaches named their all-conference teams and handed out other awards.
O’Brien was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second time in his four years at Ohio State.
“I’m always surprised when things like this happen,” O’Brien said. “There are a lot of really good candidates out there. So many other guys did such great stuff, but I’m thrilled.”
O’Brien was also named Coach of the Year in 1999, his second season at OSU, when the team reached the Final Four.
Johnson, who set the Big Ten career blocked shots record two games ago against Northwestern, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row. In addition to that honor, Johnson was named to both the coach’s and media’s First Team All-Big Ten.
“Coming back for this extra year has been the best decision I have ever made,” Johnson said. “I have worked hard and I’m surrounded by terrific players and a great coach. I just feel blessed to be a Buckeye.”
Junior guard Brian Brown was named to Third Team All-Big Ten by the media and was given honorable mention by the coaches.
“Brian deserved recognition of some sorts and this definitely helps with that,” O’Brien said. “We know how valuable he has been to our team this year.”
Rounding out the coach’s First Team were Penn State’s Joe Crispin, Indiana’s Kirk Haston, Michigan State’s Jason Richardson and Illinois’s Frank Williams. Williams was named the Big Ten Player of the Year by the coaches and media.
Charlie Bell, from Michigan State, replaced Crispin on the media’s First Team.
Freshman of the Year was Jared Jeffries, from Indiana.
