Gonzaga's Graham Ike named top 20 finalist for major individual award

Ike leads the WCC with 19.7 points per game

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Gonzaga forward Graham Ike was one of 20 players named to the Wooden Award midseason top 20 watch list on Tuesday.

Ike was selected alongside 19 other college basketball stars, considered the frontrunners for the highest honors in the sport: the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player and the Wooden Award All-American Team.

The 6'9 forward has been tremendous all season long for Gonzaga, but has really kicked it into a higher gear the last month while teammate Braden Huff has been on the shelf with a left knee injury.

Following a 20 point performance in just 23 minutes on Tuesday against Washington State, Ike has now scored 20+ points in six consecutive games, averaging 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in those contests, with an excellent 68.6% mark on twos, 60% from three, and 88.2% from the free throw line in 33.8 minutes.

He topped 30 points for the first time in a Gonzaga uniform on Jan. 8 against Santa Clara and has done it two more times since then, dropping 30 on Saint Mary's in an eight point win on Jan. 31 and a career-high 35 in Corvallis against Oregon State on Feb. 7.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Erik Smith

The big man has recorded 12 double-doubles this season, including each of his first three games, and he's scored in double figures all but one game - highlighting how consistently excellent he has been for coach Mark Few's team this year.

While Ike's recent performances stand out, his overall season line proves just how great he has been all year long for the Zags. The Aurora, CO native leads the WCC with 19.7 points per game and a 57.4% field goal rate, along with 8.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists - while playing some of the best defense of his five year career.

Ike is the lone player on the top 20 list not from a power conference program, and is one of two graduate students alongside Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Erik Smith

Lendeborg is one of two players on this list Gonzaga faced this year, alongside Alabama sophomore point guard Labaran Philon. Former Saint Mary's forward Joshua Jefferson, now with Iowa State, is on the list as well, along with college basketball veterans Braden Smith (Purdue), Jaden Bradley (Arizona), Bennet Stirtz (Iowa) and JT Toppin (Texas Tech).

Seven freshmen highlight the watch list: Duke forward Cameron Boozer, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff, and Houston guard and former Gonzaga recruiting target Kingston Flemings.

The Wooden Award National Ballot will include 15 players, and 10 of those players will be selected to the Wooden Award All-American Team, which will be announced during the week of the Elite Eight.

Ike will look to bolster his resume on Saturday when Gonzaga heads to the Leavey Center to take on Santa Clara in a battle for first place in the WCC. The game is set to tip at 7:30 PM PT and will be broadcast on ESPN.