March 9, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri seniors Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding were named to the Associated Press All-Big 12 Basketball Second Team, the AP announced on Monday evening. Both Johnson and Paulding were named to the second team last year. They join Kansas guard Keith Langford, Colorado guard Michel Morandis and Colorado center David Harrison on the team.
Johnson has become Mizzou's all-time leading rebounder (1,064 career boards) and shot blocker (244 career blocks) and is threatening to move into the top five in scoring, needing just five points to pass former Tiger Melvin Booker for fifth place on the list. He made a major move up the charts on Sunday with his career-high 37 point outing against Kansas and he has averaged 21.0 points per game over the course of the last eight games. He ranks second on the Big 12 rebounding and shot blocking career charts and can become the first player in MU history to lead the Tigers in rebounding in four straight seasons.
Paulding has also had a solid year, sharing team-best scoring honors with Johnson at 15.7 points per contest. He has reached double figures in scoring in 21 of the Tigers' 27 games so far this season and has scored 20 points or more in six games, including his tremendous 31-point effort in the Tigers' double overtime win over No. 6 Oklahoma State on Feb. 24. He averaged 24.0 points and 4.5 assists per game in the Tigers win over OSU and Kansas State and earned Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week honors for that week. He currently ranks 8th on the Mizzou scoring charts with 1,645 career points.
Johnson was also named to the Big 12 All Defensive Team on Monday. He was joined by junior guard Jason Conley on the Big 12's Specialty Teams, with Conley getting the nod for the All-Reserve and All-Newcomer Teams.
Both Tigers have had standout careers at Mizzou and they will have the opportunity to add to their outstanding accomplishments on Thursday when Mizzou begins play in the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Thursday against Texas A&M with tip set for 8:30 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas. The game can be seen nationally on ESPN2. For more information on Tiger Basketball, log on to www.mutigers.com.