Brown Named Finalist for Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior guard Barry Brown, Jr., was recently named one of 25 finalists for the 2019 Lefty Driesell Award, which is given annually to the top defensive player in college basketball.
Brown was one of two Big 12 players named as finalists, joining Texas Tech graduate transfer Tariq Owens.
The other finalists include Murray State’s Shaq Buchanan, Hofstra’s Desure Buie, Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke, Virginia’s Mamadi Diakite, UCF’s Tacko Fall, Maryland’s Bruno Fernando, Valparaiso’s Javon Freeman, Arkansas’ Daniel Gafford, UC Irvine’s Jonathan Galloway, Louisana’s JaKeenan Gant, Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans, Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter, Duke’s Tre Jones and Zion Williamson, UT Rio Grande Valley’s Javon Levi, St. Bonaventure’s Osun Osunniyi, USF’s Laquincy Rideau, Houston’s Galen Robinson, Jr., South Carolina’s Chris Silva, St. John’s Justin Simon, Michigan’s Zavier Simpson, Washington’s Matisse Thybulle and North Carolina’s Kenny Williams.
The award is named after Driesell, who won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list.
A 6-foot-3, 195-pound four-year lettermen from St. Petersburg, Florida, Brown captained the nation’s fourth-best scoring defense (59.6 ppg.) and the school’s lowest opponent scoring average in the shot clock era (1985-86). The Wildcats finished among the leaders in several defensive categories, including turnover margin (16th), 3-point field goal percentage defense (37th), steals (48th), turnover forced (51st) and field goal percentage defense (56th).
The school’s all-time steals leader, Brown finished with 254 steals, which ranks sixth in Big 12 history.
The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection, Brown was also one of 10 semifinalists for 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The recipient of the Lefty Driesell Award will be announced on Friday at the College Insider Awards Event in Minneapolis.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior guard Barry Brown, Jr., was recently named one of 25 finalists for the 2019 Lefty Driesell Award, which is given annually to the top defensive player in college basketball.
Brown was one of two Big 12 players named as finalists, joining Texas Tech graduate transfer Tariq Owens.
The other finalists include Murray State’s Shaq Buchanan, Hofstra’s Desure Buie, Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke, Virginia’s Mamadi Diakite, UCF’s Tacko Fall, Maryland’s Bruno Fernando, Valparaiso’s Javon Freeman, Arkansas’ Daniel Gafford, UC Irvine’s Jonathan Galloway, Louisana’s JaKeenan Gant, Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans, Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter, Duke’s Tre Jones and Zion Williamson, UT Rio Grande Valley’s Javon Levi, St. Bonaventure’s Osun Osunniyi, USF’s Laquincy Rideau, Houston’s Galen Robinson, Jr., South Carolina’s Chris Silva, St. John’s Justin Simon, Michigan’s Zavier Simpson, Washington’s Matisse Thybulle and North Carolina’s Kenny Williams.
The award is named after Driesell, who won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list.
A 6-foot-3, 195-pound four-year lettermen from St. Petersburg, Florida, Brown captained the nation’s fourth-best scoring defense (59.6 ppg.) and the school’s lowest opponent scoring average in the shot clock era (1985-86). The Wildcats finished among the leaders in several defensive categories, including turnover margin (16th), 3-point field goal percentage defense (37th), steals (48th), turnover forced (51st) and field goal percentage defense (56th).
The school’s all-time steals leader, Brown finished with 254 steals, which ranks sixth in Big 12 history.
The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection, Brown was also one of 10 semifinalists for 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The recipient of the Lefty Driesell Award will be announced on Friday at the College Insider Awards Event in Minneapolis.
