Pac-12 coaches tab Oregon’s Pritchard as player of the year

Oregon’s Payton Pritchard has been named Pac-12 player of the year by the conference’s coaches.

UCLA coach Mick Cronin was voted coach of the year and Arizona freshman forward Zeke Nnaji freshman of the year in honors announced Monday.

Colorado’s Tyler Bey was named defensive player of the year, UCLA’s Chris Smith most improved player and Arizona State’s Alonzo Verge Jr. the sixth man of the year.

Pritchard became the fourth player in Pac-12 history to lead the conference in scoring and assists. He averaged 20.5 points and 5.5 assists while leading the 13th-ranked Ducks to their third regular-season Pac-12 title in five years.

Cronin led the Bruins to within a game of winning the regular-season title after a sluggish start to the season.