Wooden Watch: Week 13
The amount of players that are in contention for this award and the impact the names on the midseason list have on their school is what makes college basketball great.
Last season Oscar Tswchibe took home the Wooden Award and is a sleeper to win it again this season as he's averaging just over 16 points and almost 14 rebounds a game.
Purdue’s Zach Edey, Kansas’ Jalen Wilson, Alabama’s Brandon Miller, Indiana’s Trace Jackson-Davis and Gonzaga’s Drew Timme make up the rest of the front-runners for this position as we enter February.
Zach Edey C Junior Purdue-
Many seem to believe that Edey is a lock to win this award with the season he and the Boilermakers are having. Purdue is 20-1 so far this season and is looking like a team that will be a number one seed in March.
Edey’s currently averaging just above 21 points a game adding 13 rebounds while shooting 64 percent from the floor.
It’s going to take an amazing second half of the season for one of these players to overtake Edey. The tall awkwardly unathletic big man who many had doubts about is now the best player in college basketball at the moment.
Jalen Wilson Junior F Kansas-
The fourth-year junior is again proving why Kansas head coach Bill Self is so effective in developing players.
Even with the Jayhawks' recent three-game slide, Wilson is putting up serious numbers. He’s scoring over 21 points a game while grabbing 8 rebounds on the season.
Wilson has also scored 20 or more points 11 times this season, while also producing eight double-doubles. The clear number two behind the Purdue superstar Edey as long as Kansas can get themselves together in a talented Big 12.
Brandon Miller Freshman F Alabama-
The true freshman is really making a name for himself and yet again is making Alabama basketball a force to be reckoned with as we head toward March.
Miller is averaging over 19 points a game while grabbing eight boards a night.
Miller is as efficient as it gets from the field as well shooting an amazing 45.7 percent from three on the year while shooting 46 percent from the floor.
It’s going to be tough for Miller to be able to win this award but he has proven that he’s the best freshman in college basketball without question.
Drew Timme Senior F Gonzaga-
Timme is truly making a name for himself in Spokane. It feels as if every game the experienced veteran of this Gonzaga team is asked to do more.
He’s averaging 22 points and over seven rebounds per game this season. While shooting an outstanding 61 percent from the field.
Timme like Miller is a long shot to win this Wooden Award, but what he is doing for this 17-4 Bulldog team once again should not go unnoticed.
Trayce Jackson-Davis Senior F Indiana-
Jackson-Davis is one of the most consistent players in college basketball and appears to be one of the only consistent things on this Hoosier roster.
Indiana has won their last four games, but this was after a three-game slide of losing to Iowa, Northwestern, and Penn State.
This 14-6 Indiana team is really the only thing holding Jackson-Davis back from being in a better position for this award.
He's just over 19 points and 10 rebounds a game is as impressive as it gets. Keep in mind he also is averaging about three blocks per game.
If Indiana goes on a historic run during the Big Ten tournament heading into March, keep an eye out for Jackson-Davis to contest Edey for this award.
Sam Kirk is a broadcast journalism major at Penn State to contact Sam email sjk6325@psu.edu.