Nov. 5, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., NOV. 5, 2007 - Penn State senior forward Geary Claxton (West Haven, Conn.) is one of 50 players nationally named to the 2007-08 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T preseason watch list. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the award annually to college basketball's Player-of-the-Year since 1969 when UCLA's Lew Alcindor was the first to be honored.
Claxton was one of just four Big Ten players named to the list joining Michigan State's Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan and Indiana's D.J. White. Texas freshman Kevin Durant won the award last season.
A preseason All-Big Ten selection for the second season, Claxton is the top returning rebounder (8.0 rpg) and second leading scorer (16.3 ppg) in the Big Ten. He was one of two players to rank in the top five in the Big Ten in both categories last season and can become just the second player to lead Penn State in scoring in four seasons in his final campaign. A second team All-Big Ten selection last season, Claxton leads all active Big Ten players with 17 career double-doubles. With 1,262 career points and 621 rebounds, he is on pace to finish his career among the top three all-time in both categories at Penn State.
The Naismith watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for the 2007-08 season. The Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its preseason list to the Top 30 players in January. Those players and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season will be eligible for the final ballot in March. The Naismith Trophy winner will be recognized at the NCAA Men's Final Four in San Antonio in April.
Penn State sees its first action of the season Wednesday in an exhibition game vs. Slippery Rock in the Bryce Jordan Center. That game is set for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. Penn State officially opens the season on Monday, Nov. 12 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) in the Jordan Center. That game is set for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.