By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

IT is no secret that sophomore AJ Storr has been lighting it up on the court for the University of Wisconsin Badgers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team player has steadily improved his play and shouldered the load for the Badgers since transferring from St John’s University, which has now placed him in consideration for the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award.

The Bahamian sophomore was one of 30 candidates named to the midseason watch list for the annual award. Additionally, he is only one of two Big Ten Conference players to be included on the 30-member list.

The Badgers currently own a conference leading 13-4 (win/loss record) and have only dropped one of six games played in the Big Ten. Storr has no doubt played a significant role in the team’s progress, leading the group in scoring with 15.3 points per game. His scoring numbers are night and day compared to his freshman season where he averaged 8.8 points per game with the Red Storm.

In addition to his consistent scoring output, he is collecting 3.2 rebounds per game and dishing out at least one assist. As for efficiency, Storr is knocking down 45 per cent of his field goals this collegiate season.

Most recently, the 6-foot-7 guard poured in a team-high 23 points complemented by 5 rebounds and two assists against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Tuesday. The scoring total marked his second highest for the season. Despite the latest team’s loss, Storr has been on a tear the last six games beginning with a career night versus the Chicago State University Cougars.

The Badgers, who are on the cusp of entering the top 10 of the Big Ten men’s basketball power rankings, saw the guard record a career best 29 points on a crisp 11-for-18 shooting for 61.1 per cent. He canned 3-for-5 three pointers to demoralise the Cougars’ defence to close out 2023.

The accomplishment made the sophomore the first Wisconsin player to drop double digits in each of his first three games since former NBA guard Devin Harris did it in the 2001-02 season.

The winner of the annual award will be decided by a 10-member voting committee mostly composed of current and former head coaches.

The 2024 award recipient will be announced at the NCAA D1 men’s basketball championship in Phoenix, Arizona.

Storr and the no.11 Badgers will be in action again on Friday at 8:30pm versus the Indiana Hoosiers at the Kohl Center.