Ohio State sophomore forward Jared Sullinger was named one of 15 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award Tuesday.
The award, named after former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, recognizes the top player in college basketball.
Sullinger is the only player on the list who was a 2011 Wooden Award All American.
He was also named first-team All-American by Sporting News for the second straight year.
The Buckeye big man has averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds for the No. 7-ranked OSU basketball team this year as the team compiled a 25-6 regular season record.
Sullinger’s 14 points and 10 rebounds helped OSU beat Michigan State, 72-70, Sunday and give the Buckeyes a share of the Big Ten regular season championship along with the Spartans and Michigan.
MSU senior forward and Big Ten Player of the Year Draymond Green was the only other player from the Big Ten named a finalist for the Wooden Award.
Other notable names include Kentucky freshmen forwards Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kansas junior forward Thomas Robinson, and North Carolina senior forward Tyler Zeller.
The list, which also requires the student-athletes to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, was comprised of three freshmen, two sophomores, three juniors and seven seniors.
The Big East had three players on the list, which was the most of any conference.
The Wooden All-American teams will be announced during the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament.
In the meantime, Sullinger and the Buckeyes will travel to Indianapolis for the Big Ten tournament. They will play Friday at approximately 9 p.m. against the winner of a game between Nebraska and Purdue.
After the tournament ends Sunday, the team will learn its seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
