Ohio State's E.J. Liddell Named To Naismith Trophy Midseason Team

The junior forward is one of 30 players in the running for national player of the year.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Feb 10, 2022 1:05 PM EST

Ohio State junior forward E.J. Liddell was one of 30 players named on Thursday morning to the Naismith midseason team, which keeps him in the running for the national player of the year award.

A former four-star prospect from Belleville, Ill., Liddell is averaging 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 blocks in 20 games for the Buckeyes this season. He’s on pace to become jus the third player in the last 26 years to average those figures over the course of a season, joining Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan in 1996-97 and Rider’s Jason Thompson in 2007-08.

Last month, Liddell became the 60th player in school history to surpass 1,000 points for his career. He was also recently named one of 10 watch list players for the Karl Malone Award, which is given annually to the top power forward in college basketball.

Other players on the midseason team include Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin; Auburn’s Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler; Baylor’s James Akinjo; Colorado State’s David Roddy; Duke’s Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore Jr.; Fresno State’s Orlando Robinson; Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren; Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn; Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis; Iowa’s Keegan Murray; Iowa State’s Izaiah Brockington; Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji; Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe; Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Lofton Jr.; LSU’s Tari Eason; Marquette’s Justin Lewis; North Carolina’s Armando Bacot; Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas; Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey; SMU’s Kendric Davis; UCLA’s Johnny Juzang; USC’s Isaiah Mobley; Villanova’s Collin Gillespie; Wake Forest’s Alondes Williams; and Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis.

The late-season team will be announced on Feb. 18, with 10 semifinalists for the award named on March 11. The semifinalists will then be narrowed to four finalists on March 22, with the winner of this year’s Naismith Trophy announced on April 3, the day before the national championship game.

Former guard/forward Evan Turner is only player in school history to win the award, which dates back to the 1968-69 season. He took home the honor in 2009-10 after leading the Buckeyes to the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships and an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

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