TULSA, Okla., -- Marshall University's much-improved defense this season was helped by having a player considered by men's basketball coach Donnie Jones to be a goalie protecting the basket.

Hassan Whiteside of the Thundering Herd, a shot-blocking and defensive specialist, was selected by Conference USA media members and sports information directors Tuesday as the conference Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

Marshall sophomore Dago Pena also was honored as the co-recipient of the C-USA Sixth Man of the Year award he shared with Steven Idlet of Tulsa.

Whiteside, a 7-foot center from Gastonia, N.C., is averaging 13.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.4 blocks per game entering the C-USA tournament that begins Wednesday at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

Marshall, 23-8 overall, went 11-5 in conference games to earn a bye into the quarterfinal round. The Herd plays at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, against the Wednesday winner between No. 5 Tulsa and No. 12 Rice.

Whiteside holds the Marshall career record and C-USA season standard with an NCAA-best 168 blocks.

The former C-USA season record for blocked shots was 143, set by Jerome Jordan of Tulsa during the 2007-08 season. Marshall's previous career record was established by Omar Roland at 148 (1988-90).

"Not too many people do that," said Whiteside, who is getting looks from NBA teams as a college rookie. "Everybody can score, but there's not a lot of people who block shots."

Whiteside has 26 double-figure scoring games, including the last 17. He has 15 games with double-figure rebounds. And, he's the only C-USA player to ever record three triple-doubles, the most in the nation this season.

He had high games of 22 points against Salem International and Memphis, 17 rebounds against both Rice and Ohio and rejected a conference-record 13 shots against UCF.

His triple-doubles were against Brescia (17 points-14 rebounds-11 blocks) at UCF (14-14-10) and against UCF at home (14-13-11).

Whiteside was named to the All-C-USA second team and earned a spot on a Freshman All-American team chosen by The Sporting News publication.

Pena, a 6-foot-6 combination guard and forward from the Dominican Republic, has played in 28 games with two starts. He averages 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds with 51 assists and 19 steals.

He has scored in double figures 10 times, with a high of 20 against UCF. His offensive rebound and putback off a missed free throw put the game into triple-overtime and Marshall won, 121-115.

Pena had a career-best 10 assists, 15 points and five steals in the Salem International game.

YOUR HOSTS: Tulsa is the conference tournament host city, but the host school isn't playing on its home court. In fact, the Golden Hurricane has never played in the BOK Center.

The Golden Hurricane plays home games on campus in the Reynolds Center where the C-USA women's teams are playing this week.

GAME SITE: The BOK Center is a building that seats 17,839 for basketball located right in the heart of downtown Tulsa. It is the home of the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League, the Tulsa Talons in the Arena Football League and this year the Tulsa Shock of the WNBA that relocated from Detroit.

A lot of big concerts were held there, including shows by Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney.

THE PAST: Marshall had a 1-4 record in four previous C-USA tournaments that were all played at FedExForum in Memphis. There is some talk about the 2011 tournament possibly moving to El Paso, Texas.

Sports editor Rick McCann covers Marshall men's basketball for The Herald-Dispatch. Contact him at 304-526-2759 or hedge@herald-dispatch.com.

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