All-Big 12 Awards Release

IRVING, Texas - Four Baylor basketball players were named to the 2016 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 teams, as voted by the league's coaches and announced by the conference office Sunday.

Taurean Prince was named All-Big 12 First Team, becoming the fifth Baylor player in the league's 20-year history to earn first-team recognition. Rico Gathers and Johnathan Motley were named All-Big 12 Third Team, and Lester Medford earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

Prince joins Terry Black (2001), Curtis Jerrells (2008), LaceDarius Dunn (2011) and Gathers (2015) as the Bears' only All-Big 12 First Team honorees in coaches voting.

Baylor's three selections on the trio of five-man teams tied Kansas and Oklahoma for most in the conference. West Virginia and Iowa State had two players apiece, and Texas and Kansas State each had one selection.

The official All-Big 12 awards are chosen by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players. Baylor has now had at least one player named to one of the three coaches' All-Big 12 teams in each of the last nine seasons, racking up 19 total honors in that span. Prior to the last nine years, BU had four players named to one of the three coaches' All-Big 12 teams over the league's first 11 years.

Gathers and Prince are the sixth and seventh players in program history to earn All-Big 12 recognition in consecutive seasons. Gathers, who was named All-Big 12 First Team last season, and Prince, who was a second-team honoree a season ago, joined Jerrells (2008, 2009), Dunn (2010, 2011), Jackson (2012, 2013), Brian Skinner (1997, 1998) and Perry Jones III (2011, 2012).

Prince, a senior from San Antonio, Texas, ranks fourth in the Big 12 in points per game (15.5), 10th in rebounding (6.0), 14th in steals (1.3), 14th in blocks (0.7), ninth in 3-pointers made (1.5) and 11th in free throw percentage (.767). He leads the Bears with 479 points, ranks second with 185 rebounds and 40 steals and third with 68 assists and 22 blocks.

Gathers, a senior from LaPlace, La., ranks 20th in the Big 12 in points per game (11.3), second in rebounding (9.1), sixth in field goal percentage (.515), 12th in blocks (0.8), first in offensive rebounding (4.0) and fifth in defensive rebounding (5.1). His 21 rebounds on Dec. 8 against Northwestern State were the most by any Big 12 player this season.

Motley, a redshirt sophomore from Houston, leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.613), ranks 18th in rebounds per game (5.2), fifth in blocks (1.3) and 11th in offensive rebounding (2.3). His 12-of-13 shooting in Baylor's win at Texas on Feb. 20 was the best by any player in a conference game this season. He led the team with 39 blocks and ranked third with 160 rebounds and 342 points.

Medford, a senior from Tucson, Ariz., led the Big 12 with 6.8 assists per game in conference play. He ranked second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9), tied for fourth in steals (1.7) and 10th in minutes (32.4). His .780 free throw percentage in league play ranked 10th in the conference, and his 13 assists in Baylor's win against Kansas State on Jan. 20 were the most by any Big 12 player this season.

Joining Prince on the first team were ISU's Georges Niang, KU's Perry Ellis, OU's Buddy Hield and UT's Isaiah Taylor. Second-team selections were ISU's Monte Morris, KU's Frank Mason and Wayne Selden, and West Virginia's Jaysean Paige and Devin Williams. Gathers and Motley were joined on the third team by KSU's Wesley Iwundu and OU's Isaiah Cousins and Ryan Spangler.

Medford was one of 13 named honorable mention, joining ISU's Jameel McKay, Abdel Nader and Matt Thomas, KU's Devonte' Graham and Landen Lucas, OU's Jordan Woodard, OSU's Jawun Evans and Jeff Newberry, UT's Javan Felix, TTU's Toddrick Gotcher, Aaron Ross and Zach Smith.

No. 5 seed Baylor takes on No 4 Texas at 11:30 a.m. CT Thursday in the first quarterfinal game at the 2016 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. The game will be televised on ESPN2 from Kansas City's Sprint Center.

2016 BIG 12 POSTSEASON HONORS

Rico Gathers
All-Big 12, Third Team (coaches)

Lester Medford
All-Big 12, Honorable Mention (coaches)

Johnathan Motley
All-Big 12, Third Team (coaches)

Taurean Prince
All-Big 12, First Team (coaches)