Arizona's Burries Earns Unique National Recognition
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Arizona guard Brayden Burries has found himself on another midseason award watch list as he continues to prove himself as a top player in the country.
Earlier this week, Burries was named to the Jerry West award watch list. The Jerry West award is handed out to the nation’s top Division 1 shooting guard. Even as a freshman, Burries has more than proved that he belongs on that list.
Burries is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game this season, shooting 50 percent from the floor, and 37 percent from three-point range. His scoring prowess has been on display all season, which has helped land him on the prestigious award watch list.
Burries has scored in double-digits 16 times this season, and has surpassed 20 or more points seven times. Against #13 BYU on Jan. 26, Burries had perhaps his best game yet, scoring a career-high 29 points on 7-13 shooting from the floor, while knocking down two three-pointers and hitting 13 of his 14 free throw attempts. In that same game, Burries also came away with the game-winning block in the closing seconds to seal the win for the Wildcats.
In addition to the Jerry West award, Burries has also been named to the Wayman Tisdale award watch list, which is handed out to the nation’s top freshman. He joined his teammate, Koa Peat on the list recognizing the standout freshmen. The dynamic duo have quickly become the go-to guys in the #1-ranked Wildcats’ system this season.
Along with their standout freshmen, including Burries, the Wildcats also have plenty of veteran experience in the form of players such as Jaden Bradley, Anthony Dell’Orso, and Tobe Awaka. Their blend of experienced talent meshed with their high-quality freshmen has given them a unique roster capable of earning a national championship this season.
Burries has played a big role in Arizona’s resume up to this point. He has helped them earn wins over six ranked opponents, while securing 9 Quad 1 wins, and 3 Quad 2 wins. Despite the NCAA Tournament still being roughly a month away, the Wildcats already have a resume capable of earning a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
They’ll be tested further throughout the remainder of the schedule leading into the tournament. But, with talent such as Burries on the roster, the Wildcats can compete with just about anyone in the country as they’ve demonstrated this season.
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Justin Backer brings a wealth of experience to his role as a college football and basketball general sports reporter On SI. Backer is a proud graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies, and has worked for such media companies as The Sporting News and the Palm Beach Post.