Baylor MBB’s Austin Named Tisdale Award Contender - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

ST. LOUIS – Baylor men's basketball freshman center Isaiah Austin has been named one of 12 contenders on the 2013 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason Watch List, as announced by the United States Basketball Writers Association on Thursday. The Tisdale Award is presented by the USBWA to the nation's freshman of the year.

An Arlington, Texas, native, Austin is averaging 14.8 points and 9.4 rebounds over his first 18 collegiate games. He's tied for the Big 12 lead with eight double-doubles, which is also tied for third nationally among freshmen. Austin ranks second in the Big 12 in rebounding, sixth in scoring, seventh in blocks and 10^th in field goal percentage.

The 7-foot-1 center has scored in double figures in each of his last 11 games and is averaging 16.0 points, 10.8 rebound and 1.7 blocks during the streak that includes seven of his eight double-doubles. He had 19 points and 20 rebounds in Wednesday's game against Oklahoma, coming up one point short of the fourth "20-20" game in Baylor history and first since Brian Skinner in 1997.

Austin has twice been named Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Nov. 12 and Dec. 17). He had 23 points and 17 rebounds against Lamar on Dec. 12, marking the fifth time in program history a player has reached those numbers and joining Kevin Durant (Texas) and Michael Beasley (Kansas State) as the only Big 12 freshmen ever to post 23 points and 17 boards in a game.

Austin is averaging 15.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in Big 12 play. His rebounding average is best in the league, and his blocks rank third and points rank sixth. He is joined by Kansas' Ben McLemore and Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart to give the conference three players among the 12 Tisdale Award contenders.

The 2013 Tisdale Award will be presented at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 15 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

2013 Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason Watch List

Jordan Adams, UCLA

Kyle Anderson, UCLA

Isaiah Austin, Baylor

Anthony Bennett, UNLV

Jahii Carson, Arizona State

Kevin (Yogi) Ferrell, Indiana

Ben McLemore, Kansas

Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA

Nerlens Noel, Kentucky

Glenn Robinson III, Michigan

Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State

Nik Stauskas, Michigan