On Tuesday, Alando Tucker picked up the phone, answering a call from teammate Kammron Taylor.

It was then that Tucker heard the news: Taylor had made all-conference second team … oh yeah, and Tucker was Big Ten Player of the Year.

"That's pretty much how it went," Tucker laughed. "He was pretty much jumping up and down when he told me."

And who could blame him, or Taylor, for being in a good mood as both were honored by the conference and its media?

Tucker became the sixth Wisconsin player to win the award and the first since Devin Harris earned the honor in 2004.

"It's a great accomplishment, for myself and for my team," Tucker said. "I like to set personal goals, and I like to set them high. That was definitely at the top of my list."

Tucker was the conference's second-leading scorer at 19.7 points per game in league play, also averaging 6.1 rebounds per game.

Taylor totally endorsed the achievement, calling Tucker the key to Wisconsin's historic season.

"He means everything," Taylor said. "We definitely wouldn't be in the position we are without him."

While Tucker was a consensus winner, there was a debate over whether Tucker or Ohio State freshman phenom Greg Oden would be awarded the honor. In Taylor's mind, however, there was never any question as to who was most worthy of the honor.

"There was a debate?" Taylor said. "I thought he was a unanimous decision. There was not doubt in my mind that he was going to get it."

Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan couldn't agree more.

"I'm extremely proud of Alando and all that he has done for the University of Wisconsin during his career," Ryan said in a statement. "Being honored as the Big Ten Player of the Year is the icing on the cake for what has been an outstanding five years. It is nice to see that his hard work has culminated in such a prestigious individual honor."

Taylor was ecstatic to receive acknowledgment for his play also, being named to the second team by both the coaches and media.

"I'm very excited," Taylor said. "That's another accomplishment that I've done here at Wisconsin. That's the way to go out my senior year."

Also receiving recognition was junior guard Michael Flowers, who was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive team.

"Mike is very deserving of that," Taylor said. "He gets the toughest assignment every night and for the most part, he's done a great job."

Junior center Brian Butch rounded out the list as an all-conference honorable mention.

"Kam, Brian and Michael are also very well-deserving of their honors," Ryan said. "It is a tribute to the program as well as their personal achievements that they were recognized. They have each played a large role in our success as a team this season."

Next up for Tucker individually is the John Wooden Award, awarded to the nation's best player, an honor the senior forward is in the running for.

"That's within my reach. I'm definitely aiming for that," Tucker said. "As long as we are winning, as long as we are successful and I keep doing the things that I'm doing to help us be successful, that's definitely within my reach."

In Taylor's mind, though, there once again is no debate.

"He's the best player in the country, hands down," Taylor said. "A lot of people talk about the things that Kevin Durant is doing, but Tuck is a winner, he's a proven winner.

Tuck means everything to this team."