March 2, 2009
Columbia, Mo. -
University of Missouri Head Coach Mike Anderson was named one of 10 finalists for the U.S Basketball Writers Association 2009 Henry Iba Award, which honors the association’s national coach of the year.
Anderson has directed Missouri to a 24-5 record this season and has the Tigers back inside the Top 15 of the national rankings as they enter the final week of the Big 12 Conference regular season. Missouri is the Big 12’s most improved team this season, going from 16 wins in 2007-08, to 24 wins this year and Anderson has the club just one game out of second place, leading into a highly-anticipated showdown with No. 4/5 Oklahoma on Wednesday at Mizzou Arena.
Anderson is one of three Big 12 coaches selected as finalists for the prestigious award. Anderson joins Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel and Kansas’ Bill Self, along with John Calipari (Memphis), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Mike Montgomery (California), Stew Morrill (Utah State), Matt Painter (Purdue), Oliver Purnell (Clemson) and Brad Stevens (Butler).
The presentation of this year's award will take place on Friday, April 3 at the USBWA's annual awards breakfast at the downtown Detroit Athletic Club in conjunction with the Men's Final Four. The breakfast will also honor the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the association's player of the year, as well as the 1979 Michigan State national championship team that was led by Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
The Henry Iba Award is voted on by the entire membership of the association, which consists of nearly 800 journalists.
Coach of the Year Consideration Growing For Missouri’s Mike Anderson
Coach of the Year consideration is growing for Mizzou’s Mike Anderson following the number of “firsts” he has directed his Missouri club to this season:
> Has a team picked seventh in the Big 12’s preseason poll within a game of second place.
> The 2008-09 Tigers are the first to be ranked in the Top 25 since the 2003-04 team.
> Are the first to win at Texas since the 1998-99 team.
> Are the first to win back-to-back games in Stillwater since the 1988 team.
> Are the first to defeat ranked teams at home, on the road and on a neutral court since the 2001-02 team.
> Are the first to win 20 games since the 2002-03 team.
> Are the first to win 11+ games in the Big 12 since 1998-99.
> Are the first to win on the road at an SEC school since the 1989-90 team.
> Are the first Missouri team ever to start 11-3 in Big 12 play.
> Are the first to start 4-0 vs. the Big 12 “South”.
> Are the first to sweep Iowa State since the 1998-99 season.
> Are the first ever to play as and defeat a ranked team inside Mizzou Arena.
> Has led Missouri to 24 regular-season victories, which is the second most in school history.
> Has improved eight games on Missouri’s win total from last season, which is the third biggest turnaround among BCS programs in America.
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