Arizona’s Azuolas Tubelis included in late-season John Wooden watch list

Arizona Wildcats big man Azuolas Tubelis was included in the late-season John R. Wooden Award watch list announced Monday.

Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts, the Arizona junior forward and UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. are the only Pac-12 members to make the 20-person list.

Tubelis is in the midst of his best season as a Wildcat. In 22 games played, the forward is averaging 20 points on 55.9% shooting and 9.6 rebounds per game, all career marks. He’s also turning in 2.1 assists and a steal per contest. Tubelis has accounted for 10 double-doubles, six of which resulted in the 20-point, 10-rebound variety.

His play has helped the Wildcats keep pace with the Bruins in a tight Pac-12 race. As of Tuesday, Arizona trails UCLA by 0.5 games in the conference. The Wildcats sit just ahead of the USC Trojans and Utah Utes, who are both a game back from the Bruins.

Players that made the late-season watch list are viewed as strong candidates for the John R. Wooden Men’s Player of the Year. The honor will be handed down following the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Those not on the watch list are still eligible to crack the national ballot that will consist of 15 players. From there, voters will rank 10 of the 15 names for the Wooden Award All-American Team, which will be revealed during the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

2022-23 John R. Wooden Award late-season watch list

– Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona)
– Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA)
– Armando Bacot (North Carolina)
– Antoine Davis (Detroit Mercy)
– Kendric Davis (Memphis)
– Zach Edey (Purdue)
– Kyle Filipowski (Duke)
– Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana)
– Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State)
– Mike Miles Jr. (TCU)
– Brandon Miller (Alabama)
– Kris Murray (Iowa)
– Markquis Nowell (Kansas State)
– Jalen Pickett (Penn State)
– Marcus Sasser (Houston)
– Terquavion Smith (NC State)
– Drew Timme (Gonzaga)
– Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky)
– Jalen Wilson (Kansas)
– Isaiah Wong (Miami)

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