LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The UConn men's basketball duo of Alex Karaban and Liam McNeeley have been named to the 50-member watch list for the 2024-25 John R. Wooden Award. Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early frontrunners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All American Team and Most Outstanding Player Award.

The accolades for the duo come from amidst a slew of preseason honors. McNeeley was named BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year and to the watch lists for the Julius Erving and Naismith Awards. Karaban is a consensus Preseason All-American and named to the Player of the Year watch lists for the Naismith and NABC Player of the Year awards in addition to the Wooden.

The duo both shined in UConn's season opener on Wednesday.  Karaban led all scorers with 20 points and added career-highs of seven blocks and seven asssits, along with six rebounds. Last season he posted career-highs of 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and is the lone returning starter from the back-to-back championship teams.

McNeeley became the first UConn freshman since Emeka Okfafor in 2001 to post a double-double in his debut, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in his first official collegiate action. He enters UConn as a consensus five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American.

A year ago, Tristen Newton was recognized as a Wooden All-American. The Huskies have not had a Wooden Award winner in program history.