Three Michigan Wolverines basketball players earned Big Ten honors for their performances in the 2019-20 season.
Junior forward Isaiah Livers, senior point guard Zavier Simpson and freshman guard Franz Wagner all earned recognition, as the Big Ten media and coaches handed out awards Monday.
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Simpson was selected to the All-Big Ten second-team by the coaches and media. He’s averaging 12.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, and is first in the conference and second in the country in assists per game, with 7.9. His 246 assists on the year are the most in the Big Ten and the country. Simpson has played in more games (146) than any other Wolverine in program history. Simpson and senior center Jon Teske are the program’s all-time winningest players, as they’ve racked up 108 career victories.
Simpson was one of 10 players coming into the season tabbed as Preseason All-Big Ten. He was one of 20 named to the watch list for the 2020 Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top point guard. The two-time U-M co-captain was named among 50 candidates on the Naismith Men’s Player of the Year award watch list. He is also one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year award. Simpson was a selection for Second-Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive team as a junior.
Livers was selected as an All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media. He’s missed 10 games this season with three different injuries. In 21 games played, Livers is averaging 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, while shooting 40.2 percent on three-pointers. He was selected to the Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team in November, after averaging 16.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in wins over Iowa State, North Carolina and Gonzaga.
Wagner was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. The Berlin, Germany native missed the first four games of the season with a wrist injury, but since has started 27 consecutive games, averaging 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. Wagner has been honored with three Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards this season.
Here's the full list of honors handed out by the Big Ten media and coaches.
2019-20 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team
As selected by Big Ten coaches
FIRST TEAM
LUKA GARZA, IOWA
Anthony Cowan Jr., Maryland
Jalen Smith, Maryland
CASSIUS WINSTON, MICHIGAN STATE
Lamar Stevens, Penn State
SECOND TEAM
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
Zavier Simpson Michigan
Xavier Tillman, Michigan State
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State
THIRD TEAM
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Joe Wieskamp, Iowa
Geo Baker, Rutgers
Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin
D'Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
Marcus Carr, Minnesota
Trevion Williams, Purdue
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
KOFI COCKBURN, ILLINOIS
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, INDIANA
CJ Fredrick, Iowa
Franz Wagner, Michigan
Rocket Watts, Michigan State
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Jalen Smith, Maryland
Xavier Tillman, Michigan State
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Jamari Wheeler, Penn State
Nojel Eastern, Purdue
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Luka Garza, Iowa
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Xavier Tillman, Michigan State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR:
Aaron Wiggins, Maryland
COACH OF THE YEAR:
Greg Gard, Wisconsin
Unanimous selections IN ALL CAPS
2019-20 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Andres Feliz, Illinois; Joey Brunk, Indiana; Connor McCaffery, Iowa; Aaron Wiggins, Maryland; Austin Davis, Michigan; Cassius Winston, Michigan State; Michael Hurt, Minnesota; Haanif Cheatham, Nebraska; A.J. Turner, Northwestern; Danny Hummer, Ohio State; John Harrar, Penn State; Tommy Luce, Purdue; Akwasi Yeboah, Rutgers; Michael Ballard, Wisconsin.
2019-20 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team
As selected by Media Voting Panel
FIRST TEAM
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
LUKA GARZA, IOWA
Jalen Smith, Maryland
Cassius Winston, Michigan State
Lamar Stevens, Penn State
SECOND TEAM
Anthony Cowan Jr., Maryland
Zavier Simpson, Michigan
Xavier Tillman, Michigan State
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State
THIRD TEAM
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Joe Wieskamp, Iowa
Marcus Carr, Minnesota
Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Darryl Morsell, Maryland
Isaiah Livers, Michigan
Cam Mack, Nebraska
Myreon Jones, Penn State
Trevion Williams, Purdue
Geo Baker, Rutgers
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
D'Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Luka Garza, Iowa
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
COACH OF THE YEAR:
Greg Gard, Wisconsin
Unanimous selections IN ALL CAPS
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