Cincinnati center Kenyon Martin, whose season was ended just before the NCAA tournament by a broken leg, was still the leading vote-getter on the Associated Press All-America basketball team.
Iowa State forward Marcus Fizer was second in the balloting Monday, and he and Martin were joined on the first team by Indiana guard A.J. Guyton, Texas center Chris Mihm and Notre Dame forward Troy Murphy.Martin, just one vote shy of being a unanimous selection, was the Conference USA player of the year after averaging 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 blocked shots. The 6-foot-8 senior broke his leg three minutes into the Bearcats' tournament quarterfinal matchup with Saint Louis.
The loss caused Cincinnati, ranked No. 1 at the time, to be selected as a second seed for the NCAA tournament.
"I'm very happy to receive this honor," said Martin, a three-time defensive player of the year in the conference. "It's one that I have to share with my coaches and teammates. They've done so much for me and my career and they have been so supportive with my injury."
Martin was selected to the first team on all but one of the ballots from the 68-member national media panel, and had 336 points in the 5-3-1 system.
"He's very deserving. He is unquestionably the best player in the country," Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins said of the Bearcats' first All-America selection since Danny Fortson in 1997. "Aside from the obvious, in terms of his contribution, he brings more intangibles to the floor than anybody in college basketball. As great a player as Kenyon is, he is even a greater person."
Fizer, the Big 12 player of the year and the conference's leading scorer the last two seasons, led the Cyclones to their first league title since 1945 and is their first All-American since Gary Thompson in 1957.
The 6-8 junior averaged 23.2 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the field, including 43 percent from 3-point range. He received 57 first-team votes and 313 points.
"I have never been more excited for a player," Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy said. "He certainly deserves to be a first-team All-America. I happen to think he's the best player in the country. It's an excellent example of what buying into coaching can do. He deserves all the credit for where he finds himself."
Guyton, the Big Ten player of the year and the fourth-leading scorer in Indiana history with 2,097 points, was on 33 first-team ballots and had 226 points.
The 6-1 senior averaged 20.3 points this season while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. He is Indiana's career leader with 280 3-pointers, and was the first Hoosier to be on the All-America team since Calbert Cheaney in 1993.
Mihm received just 17 first-team votes, but his 200 points were one more than Murphy, who was on 27 first-team ballots,
Mihm, a 7-foot junior, averaged 17.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 53 percent for the Longhorns. He is Texas' first All-American since the AP began selecting a team in 1948. In 1935, Jack Gray was a consensus All-America selection.