Edey heads list of 15 Wooden Award finalists
Purdue center Zach Edey has an opportunity to be the first repeat winner of the Wooden Award in more than 40 years with the announcement Saturday of the 15 finalists for best men’s college basketball player.
As the reigning winner having perhaps an even better season in 2023-24, Edey could go back-toback, with Virginia’s Ralph Sampson the only other player to do so, in 1982 and 1983.
The Wooden Award has been presented annually since 1977.
Edey is averaging career bests at 24.1 points (second in the country), 1.9 assists, 2.2 blocks and 0.3 steals, along with 11.7 rebounds (third). The 7-foot-4 senior is shooting 62.3 percent from the floor.
In leading the No. 3 Boilermakers, Edey needs 26 points and 50 rebounds to become just the fifth player in NCAA history with two seasons of at least 750 points and 400 rebounds, joining
Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson, Rick Barry Jerry West.
and
Among the 15 finalists, the Southeastern Conference leads with four selections, followed by the Big 12 (three), the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big East (two each), and the Atlantic 10, Big Ten, Mountain West and
Pac-12 with one selection apiece.
Voting for the award takes place from March 18-25, with voters to consider
a player’s entire season through the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The five finalists will be announced on April 2, and the awards for the Wooden Award as well as the Wooden Award All American Team will be presented on April 12 at the Los Angles Athletic Club.
The full list of 15 finalists:
Johni Broome, Auburn
RJ Davis, North Carolina
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Purdue
Zach Edey,
Kyle Filipowski, Duke
DaRon Holmes II, Dayton
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Tyler Kolek, Marquette
Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State
Caleb Love, Arizona
Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
Tristen Newton, UConn
Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
Mark Sears, Alabama
Jamal Shead, Houston
SATURDAY’S GAMES
FSU 83, Miami 75: A
Florida State’s dominance over the University of Miami continued on Saturday in Tallahassee with the Seminoles’ 12th victory over the Hurricanes in their past 13 meetings.
Playing without injured Nijel Pack (knee), Miami led by three with 11 minutes to go and kept the game close, but fell short down the stretch. It was Miami’s ninth loss in a row, the longest UM losing streak in more than 20 years.
Four UM players scored in double figures. Norchad Omier led Miami with 16 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.
Matt Cleveland, who transferred to UM from FSU this season, had 16 points and seven rebounds against his former teammates. The last time the teams met, on Jan. 17, Cleveland went 1-of-8 for two points in an 84-75 loss.
Bensley Joseph added 17 points and Wooga Poplar had 12 for Miami.
Despite a height disadvantage, Miami outscored FSU 40-28 in the paint and had just one fewer rebound (39 to 38).
The Hurricanes end the regular season 15-16 and 6-14 in the ACC. FSU is 16-15 and 10-10 in the league standings. The
ACC tournament begins Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
— MICHELLE KAUFMAN
No. 16 Alabama 92, Arkansas 88 (OT):
A
Aaron Estrada struggled throughout but converted a tiebreaking layup with 2:03 remaining in overtime as the Crimson Tide outlasted the visiting Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The game was tied at 80 when Estrada got the ball on the left side. He drove past Arkansas defender Khalif Battle and scooped in a layup that gave Alabama the lead for good. After Estrada’s clutch hoop, the Crimson Tide hung on as Arkansas trailed by two points three times the rest of the way.
Estrada hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to put Alabama ahead 90-85, and Arkansas was within 90-88 after Tramon Mark’s 3-pointer with 8 seconds remaining. Alabama clinched the win on Sam Walters’ dunk with 3 seconds left.
Mark Sears led the Crimson Tide (21-10, 13-5 Southeastern Conference) with 22 points and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. added 20, including a 3-pointer that forged a 74-74 tie with 21 seconds left in regulation.
Battle led the Razorbacks (15-16, 6-12) with 22 points but shot 5 of 16.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
No. 14 Notre Dame
A
82, No. 11 Virginia Tech 53: Sonia Citron scored 19 points to help the Irish roll past the top-seeded Hokies on Saturday in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
No. 9 UConn 86,
A
Providence 53:
Bueckers scored 29 points to help the Huskies beat the Friars in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Uncasville, Conn.
Iowa State 67, No. 17
A
Baylor 62: Powered by
Addy Brown (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Audi Crooks (23 points), the No. 4-seed Cyclones topped the No. 5-seed Bears in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at Kansas City, Mo.
ETC. Paige
NFL: The Cleveland
A
Browns have agreed to acquire wide receiver
Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos for a pair of draft picks, multiple outlets reported Saturday.
The Broncos will receive fifth- and sixth-round picks (135th and 202nd overall) in next month’s NFL Draft, per reports.