Edey, Ivey Named to Midseason Naismith Award List
Credit Source: Purdue University Athletics
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue sophomores Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey have been selected to the Midseason Team for 2022 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Award, it was announced this afternoon.
Purdue, Auburn, Duke and Gonzaga are the only teams with two players named to the midseason list. The Big Ten leads all conferences with seven selections.
A 6-foot, 4-inch sophomore from South Bend, Indiana, Ivey is averaging 17.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from 3-point range. He is on a pace to become the third Boilermaker to average 17, 5 and 3 in a season in school history (Caleb Swanigan, E’Twaun Moore). He is the only high-major player nationally to average 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists while having made at least 45 3-pointerson the season.
Over the last three games, Ivey is average 23.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, scoring at least 21 points in four straight games.
After starting slow from long distance, Ivey is 43-of-100 (.430) from 3-point range in his last 20 games, scoring at least 12 points in 15 straight games and at least 15 points in eight straight contests.
In Big Ten games, Ivey is averaging 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 45.4 percent from the field.
Edey, a 7-foot, 4-inch sophomore center from Toronto, is averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per game in a mere 18.8 minutes per contest. He is shooting an NCAA-best 68.1 percent from the field, which is on pace to set Purdue’s new single-season record.
In the last 30 years, just one player has averaged at least 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in under 25.0 minutes per contest – Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins in 2009-10. Edey has reached those marks in just 18.8 minutes per contest. He has recorded eight 20-point games and owns six double-doubles on the season.
Stefanovic Named Finalist for Senior CLASS Award
Credit Source: Purdue University Athletivcs
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior Sasha Stefanovic has been named a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, given to a student-athlete classified as NCAA Division I seniors or graduate-students and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their athletic platforms to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Stefanovic has been an outstanding representative of the university and the basketball program during his time at Purdue. He graduated last spring with a degree in finance and is currently enrolled in graduate school in the Human Resource Management program. He was a three-time honoree to the Big Ten All-Academic Team.
Being a recruit with no high-major offers until Purdue offered in Feb. 2017, three months before his high school graduation, Stefanovic has made a name for himself on the hardwood, enjoying his best season to date in helping the Boilermakers to their first No. 1 ranking in school history. The senior from Crown Point, Indiana, is averaging 11.9 points, 3.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 40.9 percent (63-of-154) from 3-point range this season. He tallied career highs in points (23) and assists (8) in the win over No. 18-ranked North Carolina and has made 47-of-55 (.855) free throw attempts this season.
He recently became the ninth player in school history with 200 career 3-pointers. For his career, he has 882 career points, 220 assists (career high 89 this season), 241 rebounds and 202 career trifectas.
Out of the classroom and court, Stefanovic has run youth camps in his hometown with proceeds going to charity, has been a fixture in elementary school visits and has been a vital part of a team-wide Holiday Shopping Spree for underprivileged families in the area.
The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 men’s candidates and 30 women’s candidates announced earlier in the season. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to submit votes online at the Senior CLASS Award website through March 21. Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winners. The Senior CLASS Award recipients will be announced during the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four® and NCAA Women’s Final Four®.
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