Kansas Duo Named to Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 Watch List
LOS ANGELES – Kansas senior Udoka Azubuike and sophomore Devon Dotson have been named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Wednesday.
Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the first half of the 2019-20 season, the list is comprised of 25 student-athletes who are currently the front-runners for the honor and the John R. Wooden Award All American Team™. Kansas is one of three schools with two representatives on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List, along with Duke and Kentucky.
Azubuike leads the nation in field goal percentage at 81.1 percent, which includes a 6-for-6 outing against West Virginia (1/4). A Maui Invitational co-MVP, Azubuike has two double-doubles in his last three games and is averaging 11.4 rebounds per game in his last five contests. The two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection from Delta, Nigeria, has six games with 10 or more boards with four of those in his last five outings. Azubuike leads KU with an 8.9 rebound average and 28 blocked shots. He scores 13.3 points per game.
Dotson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 18.5 points per contest. The Charlotte, N.C., guard has eight steals in his last two games. A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week in 2019-20, Dotson was also co-MVP of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in leading KU to the team title. Dotson also leads Kansas with 57 assists, 31 steals and 70 free throws made this season. He has scored 10 or more points in 18 straight games dating back to last season.
Kansas has had representation in two of the last three seasons at the Wooden Award ceremony as Frank Mason III won the award in 2017 and Devonte’ Graham was a finalist in 2018. Azubuike and Dotson are vying to become the third Jayhawk to win the honor with Mason in 2017 and Danny Manning in 1988.
No. 3/3 Kansas (11-2, 1-0) will face Iowa State (7-6, 0-1) on Wednesday, Jan. 8, in Ames, Iowa. Tip off from Hilton Coliseum will be at 7 p.m. (Central) and the game can be watched on Big 12 NOW/ESPN+.
John R. Wooden Award Presented by Wendy’s 2019-20 Midseason Top 25 List (listed by last name alphabetical)
Name, School
Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
UDOKA AZUBUIKE, KANSAS
Saddiq Bey, VillanovaVernon Carey Jr., Duke
Anthony Cowan Jr., Maryland
DEVON DOTSON, KANSAS
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Malachi Flynn, San Diego State
Luka Garza, Iowa
Ashton Hagans, Kentucky
Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
Markus Howard, Marquette
Tre Jones, Duke
Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Jordan Nwora, Louisville
Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga
Myles Powell, Seton Hall
Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Zavier Simpson, Michigan
Lamar Stevens, Penn State
Isaiah Stewart, Washington
Tres Tinkle, Oregon State
Obi Toppin, Dayton
Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State
Cassius Winston, Michigan State
