Bradley Beal Elite Alum E.J. Liddell is a name to watch for college basketball’s highest honor.
E.J. was named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team on Thursday, putting him on the shortlist for the Men’s Basketball Player of the Year award. He currently leads Ohio State in scoring at 14.9 points per game. Liddell recently scored 20 points in a win over Michigan State, his third straight game with 20+ points scored.
The 20-year-old sophomore forward is also averaging a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game and has 24 blocks in 18 games for the Buckeyes, who are ranked No. 4 in the latest AP poll.
“E.J. has earned this prestigious recognition and I am really happy for him,” head coach Chris Holtmann said of the honor. “He is a gifted player and his growth has been impressive. E.J. has been a joy to coach. He understands there is much work ahead of us this season and I know he is committed to working toward daily improvement.”
A total of 30 Division I players were named to the midseason team, including eight from the Big Ten Conference. Evan Turner is the only Buckeye to ever win the Naismith Award.
