Tennessee star Dalton Knecht is one of five finalists to win the Wooden Award— given annually to the nation’s top men’s and women’s college basketball player.
Knecht is a finalist for the award alongside Purdue’s Zach Edey, North Carolina’s R.J. Davis, Houston’s Jamal Shead and Connecticut’s Tristin Newton.
The 6-foot-6 wing was the nation’s breakout star this season after transferring to Northern Colorado to Tennessee for his final year of collegiate eligibility.
Knecht finished his lone season in Knoxville averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He was even better in SEC play where he earned SEC Player of the Year honors by averaging 25.5 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 42% shooting from three-point range.
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Over the course of the season, Knecht totaled 40 points once, 35-plus points six times, 30-plus points seven times and 25-plus points 13 times.
The Thornton, Colorado native was a consensus First Team All-American after leading Tennessee to an outright SEC Regular-Season Championship and the second Elite Eight appearance in program history.
Edey is the favorite to win the award for the second straight season but if anyone were to upset him and win college basketball’s most prestigious award, Knecht would be the one to do so. The two combined for 77 points in the highly contested Elite Eight matchup.
