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Penn State forward Lamar Stevens added to Wooden Award top 20 watch list

By Cameron Michael

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 03: Lamar Stevens #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts in the second half while playing the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 03, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 68-55. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 03: Lamar Stevens #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts in the second half while playing the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 03, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 68-55. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Lamar Stevens, the team’s leader in points and minutes this season, was added to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List this week.

It should come as no surprise if you’ve watched any of Penn State’s basketball season in 2019-20 that senior forward Lamar Stevens should be considered one of the best players in the entire country. It seems that the rest of the nation is catching up as well as he was added to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 watch list for this season on February 3.

Stevens eclipsed the 2,000-point mark in his career this season and is just one of only two active players with at least 2,000 career points and 800 career rebounds. Stevens is averaging a team-high 16.9 points per game and is second on the team with an average of 7.0 rebounds per game as well.

The Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men’s and women’s college basketball players. They’re given out by the Los Angeles Athletic Club and are named in honor of John Wooden, the national collegiate basketball player of the year from Purdue back in 1932.

The players on the list of 20 for the Late Season Top 20 are all now considered strong candidates for the 2020 John R. Wooden Award for men’s most outstanding player. Stevens, who has started all 125 games of his career, was a preseason All-Big Ten Conference player and is third on the school’s all-time scoring list.

Stevens has scored double-digit points in every game of this season and has recorded double-doubles in four contests this year. He helped the Nittany Lions to a 75-70 victory most recently over the No. 16 ranked Michigan State Spartans as Penn State has now won five in a row dating back to January 18.

Penn State cracked a national top 25 ranking for the first time since 1996 with their play this season and Lamar Stevens is absolutely one of the biggest reasons why. Fellow forward Mike Watkins, another big reason why, was also slotted earlier this year as one of the best defensive players in the entire country for his work not only on the boards but with his blocking prowess.

The big men, as well as the tenacious style of defense the Nittany Lions possess in 2020, seem to be fit for a historic run through not only the Big Ten Tournament but also into the 2020 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, slated to begin near the end of next month.

March Madness will be something to behold for Penn State fans, especially if our Nittany Lions are bringing home some hardware in the process.

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