Lincoln – A pair of Nebraska men's basketball players were honored Tuesday morning, as the Big Ten Conference announced its 2021-22 all-conference teams.
Bryce McGowens received a pair of honors, as he was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and was a third-team honoree by both the coaches and media, while Derrick Walker was chosen as Nebraska's nominee for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
McGowens became the first Husker freshman to be named to the Big Ten Freshman team since the Huskers joined the conference in 2011-12 and the first NU player to be tabbed on one of the top three conference teams since James Palmer Jr. in 2018-19.
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. His1 7.2 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 and Ohio State's Malaki Branham were the only freshmen selected to the all-conference teams by either the coaches or media. The other members of the Big Ten All-Freshmen team were Moussa Diabate (Michigan), Max Christie (Michigan State) and Chucky Hepburn (Wisconsin)
An eight-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, McGowens tops all Big Ten freshmen in scoring and ranks second in rebounding, while placing 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.
Walker has started all 31 games for the Huskers, averaging 9.3 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-9, 239-pound forward from Kansas City, Mo., is on pace to break Nebraska's single-season field goal percentage, as Walker enters the Big Ten Tournament shooting 67.9 percent from the field. He has reached double figures in 17 games and is second on the team with three double-doubles, including two against ranked teams. Off the court, Walker has been involved in the Malone Center and is currently working on his master's degree after earning his undergraduate degree last May.
The Huskers take on Northwestern Wednesday night beginning at 5 p.m. (central), as the game will be televised on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.
Bryce McGowens was a third-team All-Big Ten pick by the coaches and media.