March 2, 2001

MEMPHIS - University of Memphis forward Kelly Wise has been named the Conference USA Player of the year by College Hoops Insider, a collegiate basketball website which is best known for its coaches' FPI, Fashion Power Index.

College Hoops Insider has release coach and player of the year awards for every Division I conference and can be seen at www.collegeinsider.com/awards. Cincinnati's Bob Huggins has been named the Conference USA Coach of the Year by the web site.

The honor is a first for Wise who is the only player in Conference USA averaging a double-double ((15.1 points and 10.7 rebounds). Wise is currently ranked seventh in rebounds by the NCAA.

Earlier this week Wise became the 36th player in Memphis history to score 1,000 career points (he currently has 1,001). With 10 rebounds against Southern Miss on Wednesday, Wise also moved into the top 10 on the career rebound list and with 681 currently ranks ninth. With another double-double he will pass Dennis Isbell and Win Wilfong for seventh on the all time-list.