SAN DIEGO – San Diego State guard Malachi Flynn has been named to the late-season top-20 watch list for the John R. Wooden Award, which honors the most outstanding player in Division I men's basketball.
Flynn, who was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award earlier in the day, leads the Aztecs in points (16.5/g), assists (117), assists per game (5.1/g), assist-to-turnover ratio (3.44:1), steals (41), field goals (124), three-point field goals (50) and free throws (81). He ranks first in the Mountain West in assists, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio and is third in free throw percentage (83.5 percent), fifth in field goal percentage (44.9 percent), sixth in scoring and seventh in three-pointers per game (2.17/g).
Nationally, based on games through Feb. 1, Flynn ranks in the top-100 in assist-to-turnover ratio (No. 5), is No. 42 in assists, No. 52 in steals (41), No. 53 in assists per game, No. 86 in steals per game (1.78/g), No. 90 in free throw percentage and No. 93 in points (379).
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2020 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players on the list are eligible for the national ballot, which will be announced in early March. The national ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2020 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's during the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 10, 2020.
The Aztecs 23-0 start is currently the longest winning streak in the nation and the longest to open a season in program history, passing the 2010-11 team that started 20-0. In addition, the 23-game win streak is also the longest in school history, eclipsing the 2013-14 team's 20-0 mid-season streak. Both those teams won Mountain West regular-season championships, the 2010-11 team won the tournament championship, and each reached the Sweet-16 of the NCAA Tournament.
In addition, the latest NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool), which replaced RPI this year as the primary sorting tool for evaluating teams during the Division I men's basketball season, ranks the Aztecs No. 1 in the nation. San Diego State has spent the most days at No. 1, 26 in total and 17 in a row from Dec. 22, 2019 to Jan. 7, 2020. NET relies on game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses to create its rankings.
SDSU continues Mountain West play this week on Saturday after a bye on Wednesday. Saturday night finds the Aztecs at Air Force for its lone regular-season matchup with the Falcons. The team's next home game will be Tuesday, Feb. 11 against New Mexico with tip scheduled for 8 p.m. To purchase tickets for the rest of the home schedule log onto GoAztecs.com, visit the Aztec Ticket Office at Window E at SDCCU Stadium or call (619) 283-7378.
2020 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year Late Season Watch List
Udoka Azubuike, Kansas
Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Jared Butler, Baylor
Vernon Carey, Jr., Duke
Anthony Cowan, Jr., Maryland
Devon Dotson, Kansas
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Malachi Flynn, San Diego State
Luka Garza, Iowa
Markus Howard, Marquette
Tre Jones, Duke
Jordan Nwora, Louisville
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga
Myles, Powell, Seton Hall
Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Jalen Smith, Maryland
Lamar Stevens, Penn State
Obi Toppin, Dayton
Cassius Winston, Michigan State
-SDSU-