Durant AP player of year

Freshman Kevin Durant of Texas was named player of the year Friday by the Associated Press.

Durant, the smooth 6-foot-9 swingman who finished fourth in the country in scoring (25.8) and rebounding (11.1), is the first freshman to win the award since it was created in 1961.

“I just hope I’m paving the way for other freshmen, to let them know you can compete,” Durant said.

Durant was a unanimous pick for the AP All-America team, and he and Ohio State center Greg Oden were just the third and fourth freshmen to be selected first-team.

Durant was jealous of Oden, who will play today against Georgetown.

“This is a great honor, but I’d rather be in the Final Four,” Durant said.

Durant, the Big 12 player and freshman of the year, shot 47 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 82 percent from the free-throw line.

In Texas’ five postseason games, he averaged 28.5 points and 9.6 rebounds.

Durant received all but two votes for player of the year from the 72-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25.

Senior forward Alando Tucker of Wisconsin, the Big Ten player of the year, got the other two votes.

Durant was one of four freshmen to start for the Longhorns, who finished with a 25-10 record and reached the Big 12 tournament championship game and the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Conley will come back

The end of the Final Four will be the start of the Greg Oden Watch as Ohio State fans wait to hear if the freshman center will enter the NBA draft.

But another top Ohio State freshman, point guard Mike Conley Jr., said that he’ll be back.

“Yes, definitely,” Conley said when asked if he will return for his sophomore season.

“I’m stuck on college right now,” he said. “I want to be a college student. It’s a fun thing to be around.”

Gillispie agrees to deal

Texas A&M’s Billy Gillispie has agreed to a new contract that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the Big 12.

Texas A&M spokesman Alan Cannon said Gillispie wouldn’t sign the deal – approved by regents – until he returns next week from the Final Four in Atlanta.

Gillispie, who was courted by Arkansas and has been mentioned as a candidate for the Kentucky opening, would get a $500,000 raise to $1.75 million. Big 12 leader Rick Barnes of Texas makes $1.8 million. Kansas’ Bill Self, who was Gillispie’s boss at Tulsa and Illinois, makes $1.6 million.

“In other moves, Albany (N.Y.) men’s coach Will Brown has agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2011-12 season and Katie Abrahamson-Henderson resigned as Missouri State University women’s coach.