WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Karl Malone Award, given annually to the nation’s top power forward, announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kaufman-Renn is joined by Big Ten counterpart Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) on the list. Others mentioned are Koa Peat (Arizona), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), Malik Reneau (Miami, Fla.), Caleb Wilson (North Carolina), J.T. Toppin (Texas Tech) and Alex Karaban (UConn).
For the season, Kaufman-Renn is averaging 12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while shooting 56.1 percent from the field. He is one of four players nationally to average at least 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and shoot at least 55 percent from the field (Duke’s Cameron Boozer, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson and Gonzaga’s Graham Ike).
For his career, Kaufman-Renn has scored 1,386 points with 621 rebounds and 197 assists. He needs three assists to become the second player in Purdue history with 1,300 points, 600 rebounds and 200 assists while shooting at least 55.0 percent from the field (Brad Miller).
Kaufman-Renn and the Boilermakers will face Oregon on Saturday in Mackey Arena, beginning at 1 p.m. ET.