HONORS AND AWARDS
- Third-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches and Media)
- Big Ten Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press)
- Big Ten All-Freshman Team (Coaches)
- Eight-Time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Nov. 15, Nov. 29, Dec. 20, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 14, Feb. 21, March 7)
- Freshman School Record for Points in Conference Game (29 vs. Rutgers) and Season (522)
2021-22 (FRESHMAN)
- Bryce McGowens was a third-team All-Big Ten pick who Nebraska in scoring at 16.8 ppg, while averaging 5.1 rebounds per game, as he led all conference freshmen in scoring and ranked second in rebounding
- Ranked third nationally among true freshmen in scoring at 16.8 ppg while he led all freshmen nationally with 162 free throws made and was second in free throw attempts (195)
- Was ninth in the Big Ten in scoring average, third in free throw percentage (.831) and 13th in minutes played per game (33.3).
- Finished in the top-10 of Nebraska's school freshmen charts in points (522, 1st), free throws made (162, first), free throws attempted (195, first), field goals (160, 2nd), 3-pointers (40, 6th) and rebounds (161, 4th)
- Totaled 11 games with at least 20 points, including seven in Big Ten action, while his 17.3 ppg in conference play was the highest freshman average in conference play since Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell in 2014-15
- Returned to action in the Big Ten Tournament, finishing with six points and three rebounds in 32 minutes after missing NU’s win over No. 10 Wisconsin because of a wrist injury
- Starred in the win at No. 23 Ohio State with a game-high 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting and four assists
- Led NU with 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting and six rebounds in the win over Penn State, his 11th straight game in double figures
- Racked up his second double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out four assists at Northwestern
- Posted his ninth 20-point game with 25 points, including 14-of-15 from the foul line, against Maryland
- Led NU with 24 points while adding six rebounds and a season-high three steals at Michigan
- Tied his season high with 29 points, including 14-of-18 from the foul line, against Rutgers, as his 29 points matched NU’s school record for a freshman in a conference game
- Led NU with 23 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, in the loss to No. 11 Wisconsin
- Picked up his fifth 20-point game of the season in the loss to Indiana, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds and two assists
- Scored a team-high 19 points and added six rebounds in the loss to No. 25 Illinois
- Went over 20 points for the fourth time this year with 24 points and nine rebounds at NC State
- Picked up his third 20-point game of the year with 22 points and a team-high 11 boards vs. South Dakota
- Posted his first career double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the win over Southern
- Led NU with 29 points against Sam Houston, hitting 9-of-13 from the floor, including four 3-pointers, while adding five boards
- His 29-point effort was one off Nebraska’s freshman mark (Tyronn Lue), and he is one of only two Husker players to ever have multiple 25-point games as a freshman (Dave Hoppen)
- Set Nebraska school record for most points by a freshman in his debut with 25 points vs. Western Illinois
PRIOR TO NEBRASKA
Bryce McGowens enjoyed a decorated high school career and was one of the top players in the class of 2021, ranking in the top-25 nationally by both ESPN and 247Sports. He was a five-star recruit by both Rivals and 247Sports and was Nebraska’s highest ranked recruit in the recruiting database era. McGowens totaled 2,341 points in high school, including 285 of 699 on 3-point attempts (41 percent) during his high school career. He was selected to play in the 2021 Allen Iverson Roundball Classic, a national showcase of the top seniors in the nation, and placed second in the event’s 3-point contest in May of 2021. He was also selected to The Jordan Brand Classic roster, as one of the nation's top 30 players. The top recruit in South Carolina in 2021 by ESPN and 247Sports, he was named Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year in South Carolina as a senior, averaging 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 blocks per contest for Legacy Early College and Coach BJ Jackson. McGowens was the leading scorer at the St. James NIBC Invitational, posting 20.9 points per contest in seven appearances in a field featuring many of the country’s top teams and helped the school to a 14-7 record playing a national schedule.
McGowens spent his first three seasons at Wren High School, totaling 1,882 points on 51 percent shooting, 323 rebounds, 220 assists and 126 steals. A three-time all-state performer and two-time Region 1-AAAA Player of the Year, he averaged 25.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per game as a junior while leading the school to a 25-5 record and an appearance in the Class AAAA Upper State championship game. His junior season was punctuated by a school-record 67-point performance in the second round of the state tournament, as he hit 22-of-28 shots from the field, including eight 3-pointers. That was one of eight 30-point efforts as a junior, including a trio of 40-point outings, on his way to player-of-the-year accolades by the Anderson Independent for the second straight year.
McGowens earned regional player of the year accolades for the first time as a sophomore when he averaged 26 points per game on 55 percent shooting, including 45 percent from 3-point range, in leading Wren to a 22-7 mark and a Class AAAA runner-up finish. He burst on the scene as a freshman, averaging 18.4 points per game while shooting 41 percent from long range, to earn all-region honors for the first of three straight years. He played for Team Thad on the prestigious Nike EYBL circuit.
Off the court, McGowens carried a weighted 4.15 GPA at Legacy Early College, while also volunteering for the United Way and at a soup kitchen in Anderson. Bryce selected Nebraska over Georgia, Michigan, Oregon and Florida State.
PERSONAL
The son of Bobby and Pam McGowens, Bryce was born on Nov. 8, 2002 in Pendleton, S.C. McGowens majors in communication studies. He has an older brother (Trey) and one younger sister (Raina). Trey is in his second year playing basketball at Nebraska after beginning his career at Pittsburgh. Bryce’s father played football at Clemson before transferring to South Carolina State to play both football and basketball. He finished as the school’s all-time receiving leader and helped the school make two NCAA Tournament appearances. Bryce’s mother played basketball at Western Carolina and is a high school basketball coach.