University of Minnesota Athletics
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/ Men's Basketball
Oturu Adds Honor from Naismith Trophy Watch List
2/13/2020 3:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Make it three national award watch lists for Minnesota sophomore center Daniel Oturu, who was announced among the Citizen Naismith Trophy 2020 Midseason Team on Thursday. The announcement recognizes the top 30 candidates for the men's national college basketball player of the year award, which is handed out each year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Oturu has already earned a spot on the John R. Wooden Award Top 20 Late Season Watch List, also recognizing the top player in the nation, as well as the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the country's top center.
The Woodbury, Minn., native is powering the Gophers this season, leading the team and averaging 20.1 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Those figures rank second and first in the Big Ten Conference while placing him 26th and sixth nationally, respectively. Oturu is also leading the Big Ten shooting 58.1 percent from the field, and is the conference's leading shot blocker (2.7 bpg).
Oturu has 13 double-doubles on the season, ranking second in the conference and ninth in the nation. Oturu, who has started every game, has scored in double figures in all but one and has 12 games of 20 or more points. Most recently, he scored a career-high 32 points to go with 16 rebounds and three blocks at Penn State on Feb. 8.
The 10 semifinalists will be announced on March 5, and the finalists will be revealed on March 17. The winner of the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Men's Player of the Year will be announced on April 5 at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.
The Gophers return to action on Sunday, hosting No. 21/17 Iowa at the Barn for a noon tip-off.
Oturu has already earned a spot on the John R. Wooden Award Top 20 Late Season Watch List, also recognizing the top player in the nation, as well as the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the country's top center.
The Woodbury, Minn., native is powering the Gophers this season, leading the team and averaging 20.1 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Those figures rank second and first in the Big Ten Conference while placing him 26th and sixth nationally, respectively. Oturu is also leading the Big Ten shooting 58.1 percent from the field, and is the conference's leading shot blocker (2.7 bpg).
Oturu has 13 double-doubles on the season, ranking second in the conference and ninth in the nation. Oturu, who has started every game, has scored in double figures in all but one and has 12 games of 20 or more points. Most recently, he scored a career-high 32 points to go with 16 rebounds and three blocks at Penn State on Feb. 8.
The 10 semifinalists will be announced on March 5, and the finalists will be revealed on March 17. The winner of the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Men's Player of the Year will be announced on April 5 at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.
The Gophers return to action on Sunday, hosting No. 21/17 Iowa at the Barn for a noon tip-off.
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