Love Named First Team All-Big 12; Awaka, Veesaar Also Honored

DALLAS – The Big 12 Conference announced the 2024-25 Phillips 66 Men's Basketball Awards on Monday as voted on by the league's head coaches and Arizona guard Caleb Love earned a spot on the first team.

Tobe Awaka and Henri Veesaar garnered honorable mention accolades.

Love averaged 17.0 points per game during conference play, which ranked eighth in the league, and was also Top 15 in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (3rd), 3-point field goals made (3rd), 3-point field goal percentage (5th), assist-to-turnover ratio (9th), assists (11th), and field goal percentage (15th). The St. Louis native became the 13th player in NCAA Division I history to score 1,000 points at two different schools and became the 56th player in Arizona history to score 1,000 points as a Wildcat.

Awaka averaged 8.8 points and 8.0 rebounds in league play and shot 64.4% from the field. Against Big 12 opponents, he ranked fourth in rebounds per game, sixth in offensive rebounds and fourth in defensive rebounds. The Hyde Park, New York native had 10 or more rebounds in seven conference games, the fourth-most of any player in the conference. His five double-doubles in Big 12 play also ranked fourth. For the season, Awaka has set career highs in scoring, rebounding, field goals made, assists and steals.

Veesaar had a breakout season for the Wildcats, averaging 10.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and shooting 62.6% from the floor in Big 12 games. After sitting out last year, Veesaar became a key contributor off the bench this season and moved into the starting lineup towards the end of the regular season. He scored in double figures 11 times in conference play, including a career-high 22 points against Arizona State on March 4.

As a team, Arizona earned the No. 3 seed in the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship that gets started this week. The Wildcats received a double bye and will play on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. MST in the quarterfinals.

2024-25 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards

Player of the Year: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Joseph Tugler, Houston
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: LJ Cryer, Houston
Freshman of the Year: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Newcomer of the Year: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Sixth Man Award: Curtis Jones, Iowa State
Most Improved: Richie Saunders, BYU
Coach of the Year: Kelvin Sampson, Houston

All-Big 12 First Team
Caleb Love, Arizona
Norchad Omier, Baylor
Richie Saunders, BYU
LJ Cryer, Houston
J'Wan Roberts, Houston
Curtis Jones, Iowa State
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
JT Toppin, Texas Tech*
Darrion Williams, Texas Tech
Javon Small, West Virginia

All-Big 12 Second Team
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Keyshawn Hall, UCF
Milos Uzan, Houston
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Chance McMillian, Texas Tech

All-Big 12 Third Team
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Zeke Mayo, Kansas
Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State
Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

Honorable Mention: Arizona: Tobe Awaka, Henri Veesaar; Baylor: Robert Wright; BYU: Egor Demin; UCF: Darius Johnson; Cincinnati: Jizzle James; Colorado: Julian Hammond III; Houston: Emanuel Sharp; Kansas: Dajuan Harris Jr.; Kansas State: David N'Guessan; Oklahoma State: Bryce Thompson; TCU: Noah Reynolds, Ernest Udeh Jr.; Utah: Gabe Madsen

All-Defensive Team

Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
J'Wan Roberts, Houston
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Sencire Harris, West Virginia

All-Freshman Team

Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Robert Wright, Baylor
Egor Demin, BYU
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

All-Newcomer Team

Norchad Omier, Baylor
Keyshawn Hall, UCF
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Zeke Mayo, Kansas
JT Toppin, Texas Tech

Love Named First Team All-Big 12; Awaka, Veesaar Also Honored

Players Mentioned

Tobe Awaka

Caleb Love

Henri Veesaar

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Love Named First Team All-Big 12; Awaka, Veesaar Also Honored

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Players Mentioned

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Caleb Love

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