Jalen Pickett named to midseason watch list for Oscar Robertson Trophy

Penn State’s Jalen Pickett receives major national recognition midway through the college basketball season.

Penn State basketball fans know just how important [autotag]Jalen Pickett[/autotag] is to the program, but his performance on the court is being recognized beyond the Penn State basketball bubble in Happy Valley. On Thursday, Pickett was named the to Oscar Robertson Trophy midseason watch list, putting him firmly in the hunt for national player of the year honors.

The Oscar Robertson Trophy is awarded annually by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the nation’s top men’s basketball player. The odds may prove to be stacked against Pickett, but his numbers justify why he is being included in this midseason watch list for this individual honor.

As noted by Penn State’s athletics department, Pickett is the only player in the nation averaging at least 17 points per game, seven rebounds per game, and seven assists per game. If he manages to finish the season with those averages intact, he would be just the second player in three decades to pull off the accomplishment.

The watch list includes the nation’s top 50 players roughly midway through the season. So Pickett still has a long way to go to garner attention and consideration for the award, which would be a first for Penn State’s basketball program.

Pickett and Penn State are coming off a road loss at Wisconsin and look for a rebound this weekend at home against Nebraska. Expect another solid performance from Pickett.

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