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Edey Named Sporting News Player of the Year to Lead 4 All-America Honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Purdue’s junior center Zach Edey has been named National Player of the Year by Sporting News. Edey was also one of four Big Ten Players named to the publication’s All-America Team, joining Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana, Jalen Pickett from Penn State and Kris Murray from Iowa.
Edey, who was also named Big Ten Player of the Year, joins Glenn Robinson (1994) and John Wooden (1932) as National Player of the Year winners from Purdue and joins Robinson as winners of the Sporting News' top honor.
The junior currently averages 22.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game while shooting almost 60 percent from the field and nearly 75 percent from the free throw line – ranking eighth nationally in scoring and second in rebounds. He also leads the country with 23 double-doubles.
He is one of just two Big Ten players in the last 30 years (Michigan's Chris Webber) to have at least 600 points, 350 rebounds and 50 blocked shots and is on pace to become the first player since Navy's David Robinson in 1985-86 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season.
Jackson-Davis joins Edey on the First Team after averaging 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. In Big Ten play, Jackson-Davis ranked second in the league with 21.8 points and 12.4 rebounds per contest. He leads the conference with 2.9 blocked shots per game. His rebounding rate is the second highest in conference play in the last 25 seasons.
Pickett, who earned Second Team honors, is the only player in the country averaging at least 17 points (17.9) per game, seven rebounds (7.3) per game and six assists (6.7) per game. Only two men's college basketball players in the last 30 years (since 1992-93 season) have finished a season averaging 17/7/6 or better: Michigan State's Denzel Valentine (19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.8 apg - 2015-16) and Memphis' Penny Hardaway (22.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 6.4 apg - 1992-93).
Murray was named to the Third Team after averaging a team-best 20.5 points and eight rebounds per outing. He is the only Division I player to average at least 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, and have made north of 60 three-pointers this season.
The Sporting News All-America Team is one of four postseason honors used to determine consensus All-America status, joining the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and USBWA (U.S. Basketball Writers Association).
Edey, who was also named Big Ten Player of the Year, joins Glenn Robinson (1994) and John Wooden (1932) as National Player of the Year winners from Purdue and joins Robinson as winners of the Sporting News' top honor.
The junior currently averages 22.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game while shooting almost 60 percent from the field and nearly 75 percent from the free throw line – ranking eighth nationally in scoring and second in rebounds. He also leads the country with 23 double-doubles.
He is one of just two Big Ten players in the last 30 years (Michigan's Chris Webber) to have at least 600 points, 350 rebounds and 50 blocked shots and is on pace to become the first player since Navy's David Robinson in 1985-86 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season.
Jackson-Davis joins Edey on the First Team after averaging 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. In Big Ten play, Jackson-Davis ranked second in the league with 21.8 points and 12.4 rebounds per contest. He leads the conference with 2.9 blocked shots per game. His rebounding rate is the second highest in conference play in the last 25 seasons.
Pickett, who earned Second Team honors, is the only player in the country averaging at least 17 points (17.9) per game, seven rebounds (7.3) per game and six assists (6.7) per game. Only two men's college basketball players in the last 30 years (since 1992-93 season) have finished a season averaging 17/7/6 or better: Michigan State's Denzel Valentine (19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.8 apg - 2015-16) and Memphis' Penny Hardaway (22.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 6.4 apg - 1992-93).
Murray was named to the Third Team after averaging a team-best 20.5 points and eight rebounds per outing. He is the only Division I player to average at least 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, and have made north of 60 three-pointers this season.
The Sporting News All-America Team is one of four postseason honors used to determine consensus All-America status, joining the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and USBWA (U.S. Basketball Writers Association).