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University of Louisville men's basketball player Russ Smith is one of 25 Division I players on the John R. Wooden Award Midseason List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Wednesday.
Smith is just one of two players from The American on the prestigious list.
The Brooklyn, N.Y., native is pacing the Cardinals in scoring (18.4) and has team highs in assists (90), steals (37), and 3-pointers (41). In conference play, the senior is averaging 31.5 minutes in six games and leads the conference with 21.5 points per game, 2.7 steals per game, and 60.7 percent from 3-point range, and is tied for the league lead in 3-pointers made per game with 2.8. Nationally, he is 37th in the country in total points (349) and 52nd in total assists.
Program-wise, Smith became just the fifth player in school history to reach 1,500 points and 200 steals. Following the win over Connecticut, he moved into 15th all-time on the school's career-scoring list with 1,584 points. He needs just one steal to move into No. 3 on the school's career list. Also, Smith is 14 free throws away from taking over No. 5 on the career list and passing Wes Unseld (426 free throws made, 1965-68).
Chosen by the Wooden Award Advisory Board, the list is comprised of 25 student-athletes who are the front-runners for the sport's most prestigious individual honor based on their play so far this season. ESPNU will follow up at 6 p.m. ET with a half-hour show focusing on the candidates.
| 2013-14 John R. Wooden Award® Presented by Wendy's® Midseason Top 25 | |||||
| Name | Ht. | Yr. | Pos. | School | Conference |
| Kyle Anderson | 6-9 | So. | G/F | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Keith Appling | 6-1 | Sr. | G | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Cameron Bairstow | 6-9 | Sr. | F | New Mexico | Mountain West |
| Jordan Clarkson | 6-5 | Jr. | G | Missouri | SEC |
| Aaron Craft | 6-2 | Sr. | G | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Sam Dekker | 6-7 | So. | F | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Cleanthony Early | 6-8 | Sr. | F | Wichita State | Missouri Valley |
| Tyler Ennis | 6-2 | Fr. | G | Syracuse | ACC |
| C.J. Fair | 6-8 | Sr. | F | Syracuse | ACC |
| Aaron Gordon | 6-9 | Fr. | F | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Rodney Hood | 6-8 | So. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Nick Johnson | 6-3 | Jr. | G | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| DeAndre Kane | 6-4 | Sr. | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Doug McDermott *# | 6-8 | Sr. | F | Creighton | Big East |
| Shabazz Napier | 6-1 | Sr. | G | Connecticut | The American |
| Jabari Parker | 6-8 | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Adreian Payne | 6-10 | Sr. | C | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Casey Prather | 6-6 | Sr. | F | Florida | SEC |
| Julius Randle | 6-9 | Fr. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
| Marcus Smart | 6-4 | So. | G | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Russ Smith | 6-0 | Sr. | G | Louisville | The American |
| T.J. Warren | 6-8 | So. | F | NC State | ACC |
| Andrew Wiggins | 6-8 | Fr. | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Chaz Williams | 5-9 | Sr. | G | Massachusetts | Atlantic 10 |
| Joseph Young | 6-2 | Jr. | G | Oregon | Pac-12 |
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Players listed alphabetically * indicates player chosen to the 2013 Wooden All American Team # indicates player chosen to the 2012 Wooden All American Team |
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