๐Ÿ€ Azubuike and Dotson Named to Two National Player of the Year Midseason Lists

LAWRENCE, Kan. โ€“ Kansas senior Udoka Azubuike and sophomore Devon Dotson continue to shine on the court for the No. 3 Jayhawks and their efforts are being rewarded. On Thursday (Feb. 13), both were among the 12 student-athletes named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Additionally, the KU duo is among the 30 players recognized for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Menโ€™s Player of the Year Midseason Team announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Azubuike and Dotson are the only players from one school listed on the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List. Kansasโ€™ Frank Mason III won the honor in 2017 becoming the only Jayhawk named to the award by the USBWA. Mason also won the 2017 Naismith Trophy joining Danny Manning (1988) as KUโ€™s recipients of the award.

Azubuike leads the NCAA in field goal percentage at 75.0 percent as he has 11 games of 80 percent or better this season. The Delta, Nigeria, center also leads the Big 12 in rebounding (9.6) and double-doubles with 10. A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week (1/27, 2/10), Azubuike has been a force in conference play as he is one of only three players in the NCAA averaging a double-double (11.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg) and 3+ blocks (3.3 bpg) against league foes.

Dotson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 17.9 points per game and free throws made at 112. He has seven 20-point efforts in 2019-20 and posted a career-high 11 assists at TCU last Saturday (2/8). A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (12/2, 12/16, 2/3) who is on every national player of the year watch list, Dotson leads Kansas with 47 steals and is second on the squad with 97 assists. He ranks among the Big 12 leaders in scoring, steals (second at 2.1), field goal percentage (fourth at 46.5), assists (sixth at 4.4) and assist-to-turnover ratio (sixth at 1.8).

Every year the Naismith Trophy tours venues of players on its watch lists. For the Oklahoma at Kansas game on Feb. 15, the Naismith Trophy will be on display in the Booth Family Hall of Athletics in Allen Fieldhouse. Fans can get their photos with the trophy prior to and through halftime of the OU-KU contest which will begin at 11 a.m. (Central).

No. 3 Kansas (21-3, 10-1) will host Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) Saturday, Feb. 15, at 11 a.m. on ESPN.