Jackson Jr. named Big Ten Defensive and Freshman POY
Michigan State freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year on by conference coaches and media on Monday.
Jackson is the second consecutive Big Ten Freshman of the Year for Michigan State, which saw Miles Bridges win the Award in 2017. Gary Harris won the award in 2013.
“I’m obviously very excited for Jaren,” Tom Izzo said in a statement. “To win both Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season is very rare and makes this a phenomenal accomplishment.”
Jackson joins Greg Oden as the only player in Big Ten history named Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the year during the same season.
“It’s incredible,” Jackson said. “Freshman of the Year was one of my goals coming in. Defensive Player of the Year wasn’t a goal of mine at first, and I honestly didn’t know if I’d have a shot at it as a freshman.”
Jackson, who was also selected second-team All-Big Ten, ranks fifth among Michigan State players in scoring average (11.4) and fourth in college basketball in blocks per game (3.29).
Jackson set the single season Michigan State blocked shot record as a freshman. He has 102 blocks on the year entering post-season play.
Sophomore forward Miles Bridges was a unanimous first-team all-Big Ten selection, by coaches and media after earning second-team All-Big Ten recognition a year ago.
“I give a lot of credit to my teammates, because I wouldn’t be able to get this without them,” Bridges said. “We’ve had a lot going on and me and Tum (Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr.) have had to rally the guys around. I give all the credit to them, because if it wasn’t for my teammates, I wouldn’t be here.”
Bridges and Keita Bates-Diop were the only unanimous selections on the first-team by coaches and media.
Bridges leads Michigan State in scoring average (16.8), ranks second in rebounding (6.9), and third in assists (2.8).
Bridges is one of10 finalists for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and is one of 14 players selected to the midseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
Cassius Winston was selected third-team All-Big Ten by coaches and media after leading the Big Ten in assists (6.9) per game and 3-point field goal percentage (56.5). Winston ranks ninth nationally in assists and leads the nation in 3-point field goal percentage.
Nick Ward was selected All-Big Ten honorable mention by coaches and third-team All-Big Ten by media. Ward ranks second among Michigan State players in scoring (13.0) and first in rebounding (7.5). Ward ranks second among Big Ten player in field-goal percentage (67.4).