Arkansas sophomore Bobby Portis became the second player in program history to be named the SEC Player of the Year by the league head coaches on Tuesday.
Portis joins Razorback legend Corliss Williamson (1994, 95) as the only two players in Razorback history to receive the honor.
Portis is averaging a team-high 17.8 points and 8.7 rebounds a game along with a league-best 56.3 field goal percentage. The Hogs finished the regular season 24-7 and draw the No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament this week.
He also ranks in the top five of the SEC in scoring (17.8/2nd), 20-point games (12/2nd), field goal percentage (.563/1st), rebounding (8.7/4th), offensive rebounds (3.6/2nd) and double-doubles (11/4th).
Here is a list of his Arkansas school records/ accomplishments:
• First player in program history with five straight double-doubles in SEC regular season action.
• Program record nine double-doubles in SEC play.
• First player in program history with 30 points and 10 rebounds in an SEC game against Vanderbilt with 32 points and 11 boards.
• First player since 1998 with 20 points and 15 rebounds in an SEC game against LSU with 21 points and a career-high 15 boards.
• First player in program history to go for 18+ points and 7+ rebounds in six straight games since Corliss Williamson’s sophomore season in 1994.
• Just the fifth player to record multiple 30-point games in his career against SEC opponents, joining
In less than two full years as a Razorback, Portis has already put his name in the conversation with some of Arkansas’ elite players in program history. With at least two games left, Portis is closing in on a few more records.
• Just 29 points and one rebound shy of becoming the first player in Arkansas history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds as a sophomore.
• Trying to become the third player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau as a sophomore.
Junior Michael Qualls was named second team All-SEC while Anton Beard earned a spot on the All-Freshman squad.
Qualls has reached double figures in 25 of 31 games, highlighted by nine 20-point outings compared to just three over his first two seasons.
Beard is just two weeks removed from being named SEC Freshman of the Week and closed the regular season by making 11 straight starts (8-3). The 11 starts were the first of Beard’s career, while he reached double figures in SEC play seven times compared to just once in non-conference action.
The Razorbacks play in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament Friday at 6 p.m. against the winner of Vanderbilt- Tennessee .
