January 23, 2015 by UCLABruins.com — UCLA forward Kevon Looney has been selected as one of 14 outstanding first-year players to the midseason watch list for the 2015 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award. Looney, a 6-foot-9 forward from Milwaukee, Wis., is the only freshman in the nation currently averaging a double-double. Entering this Saturday’s game at Oregon, Looney has registered 12.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in 19 starts for UCLA (11-8, 3-3 Pac-12).
The Wayman Tisdale Award will be presented to the national freshman of the year at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
Looney is one of two players from the Pac-12 Conference among the 14 midseason watch list selections (along with Arizona’s Stanley Johnson). The midseason watch list also features Cliff Alexander (Kansas), James Blackmon Jr. (Indiana), Devin Booker (Kentucky), Tyus Jones (Duke), Jahlil Okafor (Duke), Kelly Oubre Jr. (Kansas), D’Angelo Russell (Ohio State), Karl-Anthony Towns (Kentucky), Melo Trimble (Maryland), Myles Turner (Texas), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Rashad Vaughn (UNLV).
Through games played on Thursday, Jan. 22, Looney ranked No. 14 in the nation in rebounds per game (10.3), No. 11 in double-doubles (10), and No. 9 in total rebounds (196). He currently leads all freshman in the nation with 10.3 rebounds per game and 10 double-doubles.
In UCLA’s 66-55 loss at Oregon State on Thursday evening, Looney totaled 10 points and 11 rebounds for his team-leading 10th double-double of the season.