University of Memphis Athletics
Antonio Burks Named Conference USA Player Of The Year
Mar 10, 2004 | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2004
CHICAGO, Ill. - Memphis senior guard Antonio Burks has been named the Conference USA Player of the Year for the 2003-04 season, the league office annoounced Wednesday.
Burks, who earlier this week was named First Team All-Conference USA, is the Tiger first player to garner C-USA Player of the Year accolades. The Memphis, Tenn., native is the Tigers' first Player of the Year award recipient since Anfernee Hardaway was named the Great Midwest Conference Player of the Year in 1993. Burks is also only the third player in Memphis basketball history to win a league Player of the Year award, as Hardaway (1992, 1993 Great Midwest Conference MVP) and Keith Lee (1982, 1985 Metro Conference MVP) were honored.
Burks leads the conference in steals with 67 (2.48) and is second in the league in assists, averaging 5.33 per contest. The 6-foot guard is Memphis' second-leading scorer, averaging 16.5 ppg. He only needs seven points to reach 1,000 career points to become the fourth player in the Tigers' storied tradition to post 1,000 points, 450 assists and 170 steals. A finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, Burks helped the Memphis to a share of its first conference title since sharing the inaugural Conference USA title with Cincinnati in 1996. Memphis (21-6, 12-4 C-USA) is the No. 2 seed in the C-USA Tournament and will play the winner of the Southern Miss-Saint Louis contest on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN Plus).
UAB head coach Mike Anderson has been named the Ray Meyer Coach of the Year recipient. Anderson, in his second season at UAB (19-8, 12-4 C-USA), led his Blazers to share of a 2003-04 Conference USA regular-season crown. In two seasons, the Birmingham, Ala., native has compiled a record of 40-21 (.656).
2003-04 CONFERENCE USA PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Antonio Burks, Memphis, G, 6-0, 195, Sr., Memphis, Tenn. (Hiwassee College)
2003-04 CONFERENCE USA RAY MEYER COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Anderson, UAB (40-21 in two seasons)
