WASHINGTON – Georgetown University center
Omer Yurtseven was named one of 10 finalists for the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. Named after Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor is in its sixth year of recognizing the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.
OMER YURTSEVEN, KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR CENTER OF THE YEAR TOP-10 FINALIST
- In his first season on the Hilltop, Yurtseven is second on the team with 16.3 ppg and he is averaging a double-double with a team-high 10.2 rpg.
- He ranks third in the BIG EAST in rebounding, and is sixth in scoring. Yurtseven additionally ranks among the top five in the conference in offensive rebounds (4.0 rpg, 2nd), field goal percentage (54.0%, 5th) and blocked shots (1.5 bpg, 5th).
- The Istanbul, Turkey native has registered 13 double-doubles on the season, which ranks sixth in the country.
- Yurtseven has scored in double figures in 21 of Georgetown's 23 games this season. He has reached 20 points in six contests, including a career-high 32 points against Samford on Dec. 21.
- He has recorded double figures in rebounds on 13 occasions and has four games with at least 15 rebounds.
ABOUT THE AWARD
- The award is named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played for legendary coach and Hall of Famer John Wooden at UCLA from 1966-1969. He is a three-time NCAA Champion who earned numerous accolades including three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, three-time National College Player of the Year and three-time Consensus First-Team All-American.
- As a professional, Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA Champion, six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 19-time NBA All-Star and the league's all-time leading scorer
- New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds.
- In March, five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee.
- The winner of the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, California on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.
COMING UP NEXT
The Hoyas will remain home for a Saturday afternoon matchup against DePaul at Capital One Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for noon and the game will be broadcast on MASN2. Fans can listen locally to both games on The Team 980 with Rich Chvotkin on the call.
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Men's basketball tickets are currently on sale for the 2019-20 season. To purchase single game tickets, visit ticketmaster.com/georgetown. To learn more about mini-plans visit WeAreGeorgetown.com/miniplans.
