By Larry Rupp
The NCAA basketball regular season has come to an end. Not only does that mean that March Madness is right around the corner, but it also means that the candidates for the John R. Wooden Award have been finalized. Of course, the yearly honor is bestowed to the sport’s most outstanding athlete.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with five players on a ballot that features three freshmen, too. One player has cemented himself as the heavy favorite, though. That would be Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, so let’s dive deeper into both him and the rest of the competition. All odds are according to VegasInsider.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (-400)
The transformation of Oscar Tshiebwe this season has been nothing short of remarkable. The 22-year-old went from playing a measly 19.9 minutes a game with West Virginia last season leading the Kentucky Wildcats in scoring this season (17.3 points per game). Just think about this fact. Tshiebwe finished the regular season logging 15.3 rebounds per contest. If he keeps that pace throughout the tournament, it’ll be the highest mark in Division I basketball since 1978.
Don’t get it twisted, Tshiebwe’s play is much more than simply racking up boards. He blocks shots and provides the Wildcats with a scary frontcourt defender. His ability to set screens and drive to the rim on the pick & roll has also improved tremendously. Head coach John Calipari’s team is in line to secure a No. 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and Tshiebwe has been the biggest reason why. This is his award to lose.
Oscar Tshiebwe has recorded his 25th double-double of the season, the most by an SEC player in a season in the last 25 years. pic.twitter.com/YRQ51F5awR
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 5, 2022
Johnny Davis, Wisconsin (+700)
The only other player with odds set under +1000 is Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis. The Badger standout was only a three-star recruit coming out of high school and averaged 7.0 points per game during his freshman season in 2020. However, he exploded onto the scene this winter and finished the regular season putting up 20 points a game to go along with 8.1 rebounds. His efforts helped lead Wisconsin to a share of its second Big Ten regular season title in the last three years.
That may not sound too impressive, but keep in mind the Badgers were picked to finish 10th in the conference by preseason experts. Davis’ ability to knock down shots from beyond the arc and adjust his body to make contested layups has continually guided head coach Greg Gard’s offense. It’s worth noting the 20-year-old leads the country in scoring versus top-25 competition. Davis steps up when it matters the most.
COLD BLOODED.
— Barstool Bench Mob (@stoolbenchmob) March 2, 2022
Johnny Davis is a bad bad man
pic.twitter.com/rux7EA1HoW
Keegan Murray, Iowa (+1200)
It’s important to not let Keegan Murray’s quiet demeanor fool you. The Iowa Hawkeyes star can flat out ball. Murray ranks fourth amongst all Division I basketball players in scoring (23.3) and has posted 20 or more points in a game 21 different times. That is the highest mark across Power 5 conferences. To put the cherry on top, Murray can break Luka Garza’s single-season scoring record at Iowa (747) with just 50 more points in tournament play.
The only thing hindering Murray’s case to win the Wooden Award may be the reality that Iowa is most likely not going to be a No. 4 seed or higher in the tournament. The Hawkeyes are going to need to make a deep run in order for fans to truly see what Murray is capable of accomplishing. No matter what happens, he’s a name to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.
Update: Keegan Murray has 24 & 17. 😨
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 1, 2022
His latest @IowaHoops bucket was a sweet one. pic.twitter.com/RQ3IbwJCdj
The rest of the finalists include Ochai Agbaji (+1400), Kofi Cockburn (+1400), Chet Holmgren (+4000), Jabari Smith (+4000), Jaden Ivery (+4000), Bennedict Mathurin (+6000) and Drew Timme (+6000), Walker Kessler (+6000), E.J. Liddell (+8000), Collin Gillespie (+8000), Paolo Banchero (+10000) and Johnny Juzang (+15000).
Picture Credit: Wikimedia
