IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa men’s basketball sophomore forward Keegan Murray garnered two awards on Monday, earning first-team All-America accolades by Sporting News and named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week.
Joining Murray on the five-player All-America first team are Kofi Cockburn of Illinois, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis, Ochai Agbaji of Kansas and Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe. Sporting News is one of four outlets used by the NCAA to determine its consensus All-America teams (Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association, and Sporting News).
The Hawkeyes have had a student-athlete earn All-America honors by Sporting News four of the last seven seasons, including the last three seasons. Former Hawkeye Luka Garza earned first team accolades by the publication in 2020 and 2021, while Jarrod Uthoff was a second team selection in 2016.
Murray (6-foot-8, 225 pounds) ranks first in the country in Player Efficiency Rating (37.8); fourth in points per game (23.3); 29th in field goal percentage (.554); 39th in blocks per contest (2.1); and 46th in double-doubles (9). His 23.3 points per game average is tops among players from a major conference.
Murray is the only player nationally to average 23+ points, 8+ rebounds, and 2+ blocks this season and one of three players from a major conference with those averages over the last decade.
Murray averaged 7.2 points per game last year and is averaging 23.3 this season (+16.1). The last Big Ten player to increase his scoring by 16 points per game from one season to the next was Illinois’ Rick Schmidt, who went from 3.8 ppg in 1972-73 to 21.4 ppg in 1973-74 (+17.6).
The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has tallied 20+ points 22 times and 25+ points 13 times this season, both of which rank first among players from major conferences.
Murray is also on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team, Lute Olson National Player of the Year Mid-Season List, and is a Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Finalist. He has been named Big Ten Player of the Week a program-best six times this season (Nov. 22; Dec. 20; Jan. 3; Feb. 14; Feb. 28, March 6).