Lincoln – Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens was tabbed as the Big Ten’s Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press in voting from media from around the Big Ten region.
McGowens, a 6-foot-7, 179-pound guard from Pendleton, S.C., enters this week’s Big Ten Tournament averaging a team-high 17.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 30 starts for the Cornhuskers, who have won three straight heading into Wednesday’s first-round game with Northwestern. McGowens’ 17.2 points per game leads all freshmen nationally and is highest scoring average by a Big Ten freshmen since Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell in 2014-15.
McGowens tops all Big Ten freshmen in scoring and is second in rebounding, while ranking among conference leaders in scoring (eighth), free throws made (160, first), free throws attempted (191, second), free throw percentage (.833, second) and minutes played (33.3, 12th). He reached double figures in 25 contests, including 11 20-point efforts.
McGowens has played some of his best basketball in recent weeks, averaging 20.8 points per game over his final five games. He closed the regular season with back-to-back 25-plus point efforts, scoring 26 points in the Huskers’ win over No. 23 Ohio State and 25 at Penn State. He was an eight-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, including five of the last six weeks of the season.
He holds NU freshmen records for points with 516 and is on the NU freshman top-10 list in free throws made (first), free throws attempted (first), field goals (158, second), rebounds (158, sixth) and 3-pointers (40, sixth).
The Huskers take on Northwestern Wednesday night beginning at 5 p.m. (central).
