Feb. 18, 2006

Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri standout Thomas Gardner (Portland, Ore. / Jefferson) was named a Second Team National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District pick on Friday (Feb. 17) thanks to his career high totals of 19.8 points and 3.4 three-point field goals per game through the season's first 22 contests.

 

The 150 student-athletes named to the NABC's 15 All-District teams were voted on by member coaches and are now eligible to be considered for the NABC All-America squads, which will be announced at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season.

The Big 12 Conference leader in both scoring (19.8) and three-point makes per game (3.4), Gardner ranks fifth overall with his 40.5 percent shooting stroke from beyond the arc and has made six or more triples on four occasions.

 

As evidenced by those prolific offensive numbers, the junior guard has been one of the nation's most explosive offensive threats in 2005-06, highlighted by his career-high 40-point outburst vs. arch rival Kansas on ESPN's "Big Monday". The 40 points by Gardner stand fifth all-time in Big 12 Conference history and the Portland, Ore., native ranks among the nation's leaders with three 30-point games on the year. Gardner also recorded 30-point nights vs. Davidson and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and has topped the 20-point plateau in 13-of-22 games.

 

Needing just 48 points to reach 1,000 for his Tiger career, Gardner currently ranks eighth in Mizzou single-season history 75 three-pointers this year and needs just 13 more treys to move into the school's single-season top four.

 

Gardner and the Tigers return to action on Saturday (Feb. 18) when they take on No. 22 Kansas at 2:45 p.m. on CBS. Mizzou has won two consecutive vs. the Jayhawks, including a thrilling 89-86 overtime decision when the Tigers rallied from a 74-67 deficit in the final 39 seconds to force the extra period.

 

NABC All-District First Team

Taj Gray, Oklahoma

Curtis Stinson, Iowa State

Richard Roby, Colorado

Greg Brunner, Iowa

Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa

 

NABC All-District Second Team

Thomas Gardner, Missouri

Cartier Martin, Kansas State

Adam Haluska, Iowa

Brandon Rush, Kansas

Caleb Green, Oral Roberts

 

 

###MIZZOU###