SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (SMU)– SMU senior Markus Kennedy was one of 20 players named to the 2016 Karl Malone Award Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today. The accolade recognizes the top power forward in Division I men’s college basketball.
Kennedy was the 2015 American Athletic Conference Sixth Man of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of The American Championship. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.1 assists and shot 54.8 percent from the field in 2014-15. SMU went 27-7 last season, winning the AAC regular season and tournament titles en route to reaching the NCAA Tournament. The Mustangs spent nine weeks in the AP andUSA TodayTop 25, finishing the season No. 18 in the AP and receiving votes in theUSA TodayCoaches Poll.
Kennedy and the Mustangs are scheduled to face fellow Karl Malone Power Forward Watch List players Kyle Wiltjer of Gonzaga and Shaq Goodwin of Memphis. SMU hosts Gonzaga on Feb. 13 at Moody Coliseum and faces Memphis twice in conference play, on Jan. 30 in Dallas and Feb. 25 in Memphis.
In mid-February, the watch list will be narrowed to the top 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner will be announced at the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 8.
The Mustangs open the season by hosting Sam Houston State on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. (Complete Schedule)
For more information on the 2016 Karl Malone Award, go to www.HoophallAwards.com.
2016 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Rico Gathers, Baylor
Taurean Prince, Baylor
Ivan Rabb, California
Tony Parker, UCLA
Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Georges Niang, Iowa State
Perry Ellis, Kansas
Shawn Long, Louisiana-Lafayette
Henry Ellenson, Marquette
Shaq Goodwin, Memphis
Brice Johnson, North Carolina
Beejay Anya, North Carolina State
Ryan Spangler, Oklahoma
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Markus Kennedy, SMU
Jameel Warney, Stony Brook
Jordan Loveridge, Utah
Alec Peters, Valporasio
Anton Grady, Wichita State
Kennedy was the 2015 American Athletic Conference Sixth Man of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of The American Championship. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.1 assists and shot 54.8 percent from the field in 2014-15. SMU went 27-7 last season, winning the AAC regular season and tournament titles en route to reaching the NCAA Tournament. The Mustangs spent nine weeks in the AP andUSA TodayTop 25, finishing the season No. 18 in the AP and receiving votes in theUSA TodayCoaches Poll.
Kennedy and the Mustangs are scheduled to face fellow Karl Malone Power Forward Watch List players Kyle Wiltjer of Gonzaga and Shaq Goodwin of Memphis. SMU hosts Gonzaga on Feb. 13 at Moody Coliseum and faces Memphis twice in conference play, on Jan. 30 in Dallas and Feb. 25 in Memphis.
In mid-February, the watch list will be narrowed to the top 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner will be announced at the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 8.
The Mustangs open the season by hosting Sam Houston State on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. (Complete Schedule)
For more information on the 2016 Karl Malone Award, go to www.HoophallAwards.com.
2016 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Rico Gathers, Baylor
Taurean Prince, Baylor
Ivan Rabb, California
Tony Parker, UCLA
Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Georges Niang, Iowa State
Perry Ellis, Kansas
Shawn Long, Louisiana-Lafayette
Henry Ellenson, Marquette
Shaq Goodwin, Memphis
Brice Johnson, North Carolina
Beejay Anya, North Carolina State
Ryan Spangler, Oklahoma
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Markus Kennedy, SMU
Jameel Warney, Stony Brook
Jordan Loveridge, Utah
Alec Peters, Valporasio
Anton Grady, Wichita State
