March 12, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference unveiled its men’s basketball postseason awards Wednesday to cap off one of the best seasons in league history.

Southeastern Conference Champion Kentucky dominated the 2003 SEC coaches’ postseason awards as head coach Tubby Smith was chosen SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and guard Keith Bogans was selected SEC Player of the Year by the league’s coaches. Florida guard Anthony Roberson earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

Smith led the Wildcats to their 42nd SEC Championship and the first perfect season in conference play since Kentucky’s 1996 National Championship season. Kentucky enters the SEC Tournament as the top seed in the East for the sixth time since 1992. He is the first Kentucky coach to win the award since Rick Pitino won the award in 1996. Smith guided his squad to a league-best 26-3 record (16-0 in SEC play) and what will be their 12th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. In six seasons in Lexington, he has compiled a 158-46 (.775) record.

Bogans garnered SEC Player of the Year honors in leading Kentucky to both the SEC and East Division titles. He becomes the first Wildcat player to win the honor since Tayshaun Prince earned the award voted on by the coaches in 2001. Bogans was an All-SEC Second Team selection as a sophomore. Florida’s Matt Bonner, Georgia’s Jarvis Hayes, Mississippi State’s Mario Austin and Tennessee’s Ron Slay were also first team All-SEC selections.

Florida’s Anthony Roberson was selected for the SEC Freshman of the Year award. Roberson was also one of three unanimous picks for the SEC All-Freshman Team which also features teammate Matt Walsh, Alabama’s Kennedy Winston, Arkansas’ Jonathon Modica and Tennessee’s C.J. Watson.

A complete list of the 2003 SEC Men’s Basketball postseason awards follows.

First Team All-SEC        Pos.  Ht. Wt. Cl. HometownMatt Bonner, Florida       F   6-10 240 Sr. Concord, N.H.Jarvis Hayes, Georgia*    G/F  6-7  220 Jr. Atlanta, Ga.
Keith Bogans, Kentucky     G   6-5  213 Sr. Alexandria, Va.Mario Austin, Miss. State F/C  6-9  260 Jr. York, Ala.Ron Slay, Tennessee        F   6-8  240 Sr. Nashville, Tenn.

Second Team All-SEC Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. HometownErwin Dudley, Alabama F 6-8 260 Sr. Uniontown, Ala.Marquis Daniels, Auburn F 6-6 200 Sr. Orlando, Fla.Ezra Williams, Georgia G 6-4 235 Sr. Marietta, Ga.
Marquis Estill, Kentucky F/C 6-9 236 Sr. Richmond, Ky.Ronald Dupree, LSU F 6-7 209 Sr. Biloxi, Miss.Matt Freije, Vanderbilt F 6-9 230 Jr. Shawnee Mission, Kan.

SEC All-Freshman Team

Kennedy Winston, Alabama
Jonathon Modica, Arkansas
Anthony Roberson, Florida*
Matt Walsh, Florida*
C.J. Watson, Tennessee*

SEC Coach of the Year


Tubby Smith – Kentucky

SEC Player of the Year
Keith Bogans – Kentucky

SEC Freshman of the Year

Anthony Roberson – Florida

* Unanimous Selection; Ties are not broken