TUCSON, Ariz. – A pair of Wildcats earned national recognition just seven games into the 2015-16 season. Senior forward Ryan Anderson has been named to the Naismith Trophy Top 50 watch list while freshman guard Allonzo Trier has been named to the Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year watch list by the USBWA.
Anderson, playing in his first season with Arizona, is leading the team in scoring (16.0 ppg) and rebounding (10.2 rpg). Anderson's rebounding average ranks third in the Pac-12 and 23rd in the nation. His 27 points and 12 rebounds against Providence in the second day of the 2015 Wooden Legacy made him the first Wildcat to record 25+ points and 10+ rebounds in a game in three seasons. The 6-foot-9-inch forward has recorded double-digit rebound games in four of his six appearances this season.
Trier came to Arizona as the 21st McDonald's All-American in program history and made his impact felt early in his freshman campaign. He scored 22 points in just his second collegiate game, which included a perfect 14 of 14 showing at the free throw line. Trier's efficiency at the charity stripe was the second best single-game free throw shooting performance in program history. He became the fastest freshman to score 20 points in a game at Arizona in the Sean Miller era. The Seattle native is also a member of the Jerry West Award watch list as the best shooting guard in the nation.
The No. 19/14 Arizona Wildcats will take their 6-1 record with them to their much anticipated game at No. 13/12 Gonzaga on Saturday, Dec. 5. The two teams will tip off at 1:15 p.m. (MST) on ESPN.