Essegian, Hepburn honored by Big Ten
MADISON – Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and his assistants believed Connor Essegian would be ready to help UW in his first season, either as a reserve or as a starter.
They were correct. Essegian on Tuesday was named to the all-Big Ten freshman team.
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound player from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has started 14 of 30 games this season and is second on the team in scoring (11.9 ppg). He set a UW freshman record for three-pointers in a season (64) and is shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc. He is also No. 1 among the players in the regular rotation in free-throw shooting (87.3%).
Essegian scored in double figures in 15 of 20 Big Ten games, headlined by a college-high 24-point performance in UW's overtime loss at Michigan and became the eighth UW player named to the league's all-freshman team.
He joins sophomore Chucky Hepburn last season, Brad Davison (2018), Ethan Happ (2016), Nigel Hayes (2014), Sam Dekker (2013), Joe Krabbenhoft (2006) and Alando Tucker (2003).
Essegian is only the fifth UW player since 1998 to average at least 10 points per game as a freshman. The others were Davison (2017-18), Happ (2015-16), Tucker (2002-03) and Devin Harris (2001-02).
Hepburn was the only other UW player to receive Big Ten honors. He was named honorable mention.
Hepburn has started all 30 games this season and leads UW in scoring (12.2 ppg), assists (86), steals (45) and three-point shooting (43.1%).
In addition, he helped secure five victories with steals in the final minute. Four of those came in Big Ten games.