Mizzou Basketball senior guard J.T. Tiller, the Big 12 Conference’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, was named a preseason candidate for the John R. Wooden Player of the Year trophy. Tiller is on a list of 50 that frontrunners for one of the top honors in college basketball.
Tiller enters his senior season as Mizzou’s top returning scorer after averaging 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 2008-09. Tiller also led MU with 68 steals and 138 assists and along with Zaire Taylor, helped Mizzou lead the country in assists per game (18.4).
The Tigers open their 2009-10 season on Nov. 6 with an exhibition contest against Truman State at Mizzou Arena. Regular-season play begins on Nov. 17 against Tennessee-Martin.