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Penn State Basketball: Mike Watkins named to award midseason team

By Cameron Michael

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 22: Mike Watkins #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions blocks the shot from Zavier Simpson #3 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the game at Crisler Center on January 22, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Penn State defeated Michigan 72-63. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 22: Mike Watkins #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions blocks the shot from Zavier Simpson #3 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the game at Crisler Center on January 22, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Penn State defeated Michigan 72-63. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Penn State basketball senior Mike Watkins has been selected to the Naismith Defensive Award Midseason Team, released this week.

The Naismith Trophy announced 15 players to their midseason team for their men’s Defensive Player of the Year award and Penn State basketball F Mike Watkins is one of those athletes to make the cut. Fresh off a big win against Michigan, Watkins joins players from seven different conferences on the list and one of just two players from the Big Ten.

Watkins currently leads the team by averaging 7.9 rebounds a game and is third on the team with 9.8 points per contest. He’s chipped in with a bevy of steals and other marquee defensive plays but what has separated him from the rest of the pack has been his play in the middle.

Just earlier this season, Watkins actually earned his 200th career block and hasn’t looked back since. He has 57 blocks this season and is tied for ninth across the entire college basketball landscape, averaging 3.00 blocks per game. Per a 40-minute game, he averages 5.42 blocks, another top figure in the country.

He’s patrolled the middle of the court while averaging career-highs in blocks and steals per game so far in his final season. The 6-foot-9, 254-pound stud in the middle has at least one block in all but one game this year and has put forth multiple blocks in 13 contests so far during the 2019-20 season.

Penn State Basketball
ANN ARBOR, MI – JANUARY 22: Mike Watkins #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions blocks the shot from Zavier Simpson #3 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the game at Crisler Center on January 22, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Penn State defeated Michigan 72-63. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

He’s joined on the list by fellow Big Ten star in Zavier Simpson from Michigan. Simpson has been all over the court this year and while he leads the Wolverines in assists per game, he’s also chipped in with 4.4 rebounds and another 0.9 steals per contest.

The Naismith Award for Defensive Player of the Year will unveil its four finalists on March 12, 2020.

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