BOSTON (UND Athletics) – Freshman point guard Tyree Ihenacho was selected as a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award on Wednesday, presented every year to the top rookie in Division I men’s college basketball, as well as earning a selection to the 2020-21 Freshman All-American Team.
Ihenacho was on triple-double watch throughout a majority of league play, registering five games in double figures on the scoring side, three games with at least 10 rebounds and had five-or-more assists in six tilts to be named the Summit League’s Freshman of the Year last week. The Prior Lake, Minn., native led the team in assists per game (4.1) and steals per game (1.6)
The rookie exploded for a season-high 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting while grabbing seven boards in the win over Denver on Feb. 5. He ended the regular season with three straight games in double figures for rebounds, including a career-high 12 in the finale win at Omaha. He was at his best distributing the ball in a weekend sweep over the then-first place Coyotes, combining for 15 helpers compared to only three turnovers over those two games.
Ihenacho is the only player in the Summit League to rank inside the top-10 in rebounding (10th), assists (2nd) and steals (3rd). He is also the first freshman to earn rookie of the year honors in the program’s Division I era (2008-present) and second in program history, joining Jeff Brandt in 2001. He becomes the first freshman to earn All-America honors in program history and the third overall All-American in UND’s DI era (Quinton Hooker and Troy Huff).
Previous winners of the award include: Anthony Edwards (Georgia), Zion Williamson (Duke), Marvin Bagley III (Duke), Justin Patton (Creighton), Brandon Ingram (Duke), D’Angelo Russell (Ohio State), Jabari Parker (Duke), Anthony Bennett (UNLV) and Anthony Davis (Kentucky). The 2021 award winner will be announced on April 1.
Kyle Macy Award Finalists
Efe Abogidi – Washington State
Greg Brown – Texas
Johni Broome – Morehead State
Sharife Cooper – Auburn
Cade Cunningham – Oklahoma State
Hunter Dickinson – Michigan
Zach Edey – Purdue
Dawson Garcia – Marquette
Wendell Green Jr. – Eastern Kentucky
Rayshon Harrison – Presbyterian
Tyree Ihenacho – North Dakota
Chase Johnston – Stetson
Dillon Jones – Weber State
Nelly Junior Joseph – Iona
Caleb Lohner – BYU
Kenneth Lofton – Louisiana Tech
Tramon Mark – Houston
Evan Mobley – USC
Bryce Monroe – Sam Houston State
Damari Monsanto – ETSU
Moses Moody – Arkansas
Essam Mostafa – Coastal Carolina
Norchand Omier – Arkansas State
Ryan Rollins – Toledo
Jalen Suggs – Gonzaga
Jahmyl Telfort – Northeastern
Cam Thomas – LSU
Marques Warrick – Northern Kentucky
Marcus Williams – Wyoming
Jalen Wilson – Kansas