WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior Trey Kaufman-Renn has been named a finalist for the Karl Malone Award given to the nation’s top power forward, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.
Kaufman-Renn is a finalist for the first time and is joined by Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Connecticut’s Alex Karaban.
Kaufman-Renn enters the postseason averaging 13.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and boasting a 1.76 assist-to-turnover ratio (79 / 45). In conference games, he is averaging 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists with a 1.88 (60 / 32) assist-to-turnover ratio.
Kaufman-Renn is one of four players nationally to average at least 13.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting at least 55.0 percent from the field (Boozer, St. Bonaventure’s Frank Mitchell and Lindenwood’s Jadis Jones).
Kaufman-Renn has been at his best entering the postseason, averaging 17.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists over the last six games.
He needs five assists to become the sixth player in Purdue history with 1,500 career points, 700 rebounds and 225 assists.
Kaufman-Renn and the Boilermakers face Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament third round tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET, at the United Center.