UConn’s Adama Sanogo lone Husky named to Wooden Award midseason watch list

UConn men’s basketball star Adama Sanogo has been named to the John R. Wooden Award mid-season Top 25 watch list. The award is given to the best player in men’s college basketball at the end of the season.

The junior forward is leading a deep UConn team in scoring and rebounding at 17.4 points and 6.8 boards per game. He’s also shooting 60.4% from the floor and 39.1% from three-point range, which also— incredibly— leads the team (sharpshooter Jordan Hawkins is in at 39.0%).

Sanogo is the only Husky and the only Big East player named to the top 25 list. Top contenders for the award include Kentucky’s Oscar Tschiebwe, Kansas’ Jalen Wilson and Gonzaga’s Drew Timme.

Players not named to the top 25 list are still eligible for the award, which will be announced at the end of the season.

Sanogo was voted the preseason Big East Player of the Year, and figures to still have a chance to win that honor despite some recent struggles. He scored just 11 points in the Huskies’ 73-61 loss at Providence on Wednesday night.

UConn fans have been pleasantly surprised to witness the depth the Huskies have shown this season though, as 10 players are averaging at least 14 minutes per game.

“I call them Noah’s Arc because they’ve got two of everything,” ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg told the Courant earlier in the season. “You think about the games they’ve won when Adama and Jordan didn’t play well. ... They’ve got versatility and agility within their lineups. And having that allows them to match up with a lot of different teams.”

The Huskies return to action on Saturday against Creighton at Gampel Pavilion. Tip is set for 12 noon and the game will be broadcast on Fox.