Gophers’ Carr named to pre-season Wooden list

University of Minnesota redshirt junior Marcus Carr has earned himself a spot on the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List today.

Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All American Team™ and Most Outstanding Player Award. Carr is one of 50 named to the watch list and one of 10 from the Big Ten Conference.

This marks the third preseason honor for the Toronto, Ont., native after being named a preseason All-Big Ten selection and also landed a spot on the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List. As an All-Big Ten Third Team selection last year, Carr set a school record in assists (207), including 130 during the Big Ten season. Carr finished the campaign second in the league and ninth nationally with 6.7 assists per game and tied for second with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.5. He ranked second on the team and eighth in the Big Ten in scoring 15.4 points per game. Already this season, Carr is averaging 29.7 points per game, scoring 35 in the opener, and a total of 54 against LMU.

Carr and the remainder of the watch list will be evaluated throughout the season and paired down to 15 finalists. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2021 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy’s following the NCAA Tournament in April.