Duke's Lone Senior Lands Top ACC Honor

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- If there ever was a player who poured his heart and soul into his senior season, it's Duke's Chris Carrawell.

Faced with a team that lost four first-round draft picks, Duke's lone senior was determined in the offseason to pick up his game and not allow the Blue Devils to decline. He insisted a demise of the powerful program wasn't going to occur on his watch.

"The reason he has done so well is because he invested so well," coach Mike Krzyzewski said of the 6-foot-6 Carrawell, who was named The Associated Press player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Wednesday.

"He's in the best shape of his life, he is taking care of business on and off the court and he has become a much better practice player," Krzyzewski added. "He wasn't a bad practice player, but he was middle of the road. Now, he has practiced every day with some passion. He has found a formula."

Carrawell, averaging 17.4 points heading into this week's NCAA tournament, was the runaway winner for the award as voted on by 103 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association. He received 81 1/2 votes, while junior teammate Shane Battier was second with 15 1/2.

Carrawell became the eighth Duke player to win the ACC's top individual honor, joining such players as Elton Brand, Grant Hill, Christian Laettner, Danny Ferry, Mike Gminski and Art Heyman.

"I just wanted to win, that's the first priority," said Carrawell, who has led Duke to a 27-4 record and the nation's No. 1 ranking. "But you've got to set some personal goals, too.

"When all those guys left, I thought it was my best chance to make it to the next level. I definitely kind of made a name for myself, I showed people that I can play, that I don't need Elton Brand or Trajan Langdon or Will Avery or Corey Maggette."

Carrawell had 13 20-point games this season, scoring in double figures in all but two of Duke's 31 games. He has also played in 114 wins in his Duke career and was a member of four ACC regular-season title teams.

Carrawell admitted his previous role on the Duke team - sometimes a fifth offensive choice - made him slack off in practice. That changed drastically in 1999-2000 with the departures of Brand, Langdon, Avery and Maggette.

"I was kind of thrust into a role," Carrawell said. "Coach K always told me if you're going to be a great player you're going to have to be a great practice player. Well, he was saying that stuff and I was like, 'Whatever, I'm still going to be the fifth option so I can practice at 40 percent and still do the stuff I do.' So, I really wasn't putting too much emphasis on practicing."

But when Carrawell returned to school this fall, Krzyzewski could tell he was a changed player.

"Carrawell has become a man," Krzyzewski said. "He's been an incredible kid to coach. We've seen progress in him both on and off the court each year. I'll take him anytime. I love that kid. He's my friend for life, no matter what happens. He's given me everything."