Indiana University Athletics
Ferrell, Oladipo, Zeller on Midseason Watch Lists
1/31/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Three Hoosiers have been named to two midseason men's basketball watch lists. Freshman Kevin (Yogi) Ferrell has been selected among 12 first-year players to the 2013 Integris Wayman Tisdale Midseason Watch List, while junior Victor Oladipo and sophomore Cody Zeller are listed among 12 players on the 2013 Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List.
Ferrell, a 6-0 guard from Indianapolis, Ind., is averaging 7.4 points, 4.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game as the Hoosiers' point guard. Through 21 games, he owns 94 assists, just six shy of becoming the fourth freshman in IU history to reach 100 assists in a rookie campaign. Ferrell ranks third in assists per game, which ranks the best among freshmen in the league, and is third among NCAA freshmen in assists per game.
Oladipo, a 6-5 guard from Upper Marlboro, Md., is among the most improved players in the country. He leads the Big Ten in steals (2.5 spg), while also averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Oladipo is shooting a Big Ten-best 65.5 percent from the field and ranks second among the NCAA in field goal percentage. He is also shooting 52.9 percent from 3 and 71.8 percent from the free throw line through 21 games.
Zeller, a 7-0 forward from Washington, Ind. and Preseason National Player of the Year, leads the Hoosiers with 16.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He leads the Big Ten in defensive rebounds (5.4) and ranks second in rebounding and offensive boards (2.9), fourth in scoring and fifth in field goal percentage. He has posted 11 career double-doubles and registered four in eight Big Ten games. Zeller's 61.0 percent from the field ranks among the top-10 in the country.
2013 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason Watch List
Jordan Adams, UCLA
Kyle Anderson, UCLA
Isaiah Austin, Baylor
Anthony Bennett, UNLV
Jahii Carson, Arizona State
Kevin (Yogi) Ferrell, Indiana
Ben McLemore, Kansas
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
Glenn Robinson III, Michigan
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Nik Stauskas, Michigan
2013 Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List
Anthony Bennett, UNLV
Trey Burke, Michigan
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse
Doug McDermott, Creighton
Ben McLemore, Kansas
Victor Oladipo, Indiana
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga
Mason Plumlee, Duke
Russ Smith, Louisville
Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State
Jeff Whithey, Kansas
Cody Zeller, Indiana
About the Wayman Tisdale Award
The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season when LSU's Chris Jackson was the recipient. Last season, Kentucky's Anthony Davis became the second winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.
The Tisdale Award winner will receive a statuette designed by nationally-recognized sculptor Shan Gray. The April 15 banquet will also honor Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.
The late Wayman Tisdale was a three-time USBWA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. Following a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, he played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997 to focus on a blossoming jazz music career. In March 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer and, following a courageous and difficult battle that included the amputation of his right leg in 2008, he passed away in May 2009.
About the Oscar Robertson Trophy
While these standout players are the leading contenders to be named to the USBWA's All-America Team and as finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, all Division I players remain eligible for postseason honors from the USBWA. The association will announce its 2013 All-America Team in mid-March. At that time, finalists will also be chosen for the player of the year. Once finalists are announced, the entire USBWA membership will vote for the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available at the Tisdale Award website, access-sports.net, or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 15 banquet will also honor Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.
