NEW YORK — Notre Dame guard Ben Hansbrough was selected the Big East player of the year and Fighting Irish coach Mike Brey was chosen as the coach of the year.

The announcements were made Tuesday at Madison Square Garden on the opening day of the conference tournament.

Hansbrough averaged a team-high 18.5 points per game, good for third in the league. He and Brey led the surprising Irish (25-5) to a 14-4 conference record and a second-place finish behind No. 3 Pitt.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Carl Pavano threw four sharp innings in the Minnesota Twins' 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.Pavano limited the Pirates to two hits and a walk. The right-hander, who returned to Minnesota over the winter for a $16.5 million, two-year contract, also struck out two.Pirates starter Brian Burres, a lefty who could begin the season as a long reliever, pitched two hitless innings.Lyle Overbay homered for Pittsburgh, and Andrew Lambo had two RBI.