McGuirl Named Team MVP of 2020-21 Season
May 05, 2021 | Men's Basketball
The coaching staff honored their team award winners for the 2020-21 season
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior Mike McGuirl was named the winner of the Rolando Blackman Most Valuable Player Award, along with the Bob Boozer Courage Award, as the Kansas State men's basketball team honored their team award winners for the 2020-21 season at the conclusion of spring workouts.
Due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols, McGuirl was the only Wildcat to start all 29 games, while he played a key role in mentoring one of the youngest teams in the country. Three true freshmen (Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack) started together in 17 of 29 games, including 12 in Big 12 play.
McGuirl, along with sophomore Kaosi Ezeagu and freshmen Davion Bradford and Nijel Pack, each captured two awards. Bradford was named the winner of the Porky Morgan Most Inspirational Player and Ed Nealy Most Improved Player awards, Ezeagu earned the Dean Harris Sixth Man and Keith Amerson Academic awards, while Pack was selected as winner of the Tex Winter Top Offensive Player and Mitch Richmond Mr. Basketball awards.
Other award winners included sophomore DaJuan Gordon (Ernie Barrett Play Hard), freshman Selton Miguel (Jack Hartman Top Defensive Player) and freshman Luke Kasubke and sophomore Carlton Linguard, Jr., as co-winners of the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery "Never Broken" Award.
An All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection, McGuirl either led or tied for the team lead in 12 categories, including points (342), double-digit scoring games (20), field goals made (112) and attempted (315), 3-point field goals made (60) and attempted (190), free throws made (58) and attempted (76), assists (103), steals (30) and minutes (34.3). He was second in scoring average (11.8 ppg.) to Pack.
McGuirl has already announced that he is utilizing his extra season and returning for the 2021-22 season.
In his first full season at K-State, Ezeagu won the Dean Harris Sixth Man Award as well as the Keith Amerson Academic Award. A starter in the first four games, he missed 10 games in December and January before returning to play in the last 15 games, averaging 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. The Sixth Man Award is annually given to the team's top reserve and named in honor of Harris, who passed away in 1974.
An Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection, Ezeagu also won the team's top academic honor, which is named in honor of Amerson, who played at K-State from 1990-91 and passed away in January 2019. Ezeagu was also a member of the 2020 Fall Commissioner's Honor Roll.
The freshman trio of Bradford, Miguel and Pack combined for 71 starts, which trailed only Kentucky (72) for the most combined starts by Division I true freshmen in 2020-21. The trio started together 17 times, which trailed just Duke (19) and Kentucky (18) for the most such occurrences in Division I. They combined to average 25.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals this past season.
Pack became the just the third true freshman to win the team's top offensive player award and the first since Marcus Foster in 2014. He ranked first or second in most offensive categories, including tops in scoring (12.7 ppg.), 20-point games (3) and 3-point field goals made (60). He trailed just McGuirl in total points (305), double-digit scoring games (16) and field goals made (109). He was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since Foster.
Bradford was the winner of the program's oldest award – the Porky Morgan Most Inspirational Player Award – which honors the longtime K-State Athletics Trainer from 1950-80 as well as the team's most improved award. The rookie exceeded expectations, averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, while seeing action in all 29 games, including 25 starts. The 25 starters were second only to McGuirl's 29. He ended the year on a high note, scoring in double figures in 5 of the last 8 games, including a season-tying 18 points vs. No. 2/2 Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championships.
Miguel became the first true freshman to win the team's defensive player award, as the rookie developed into one of the Big 12's top defensive stoppers. He saw action in all 29 games with 20 starts, while averaging 7.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 27.5 minutes per game.
Kasubke and Linguard shared the "Never Broken" Award, which was established in 2009-10 to honor the team's relationship with the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery stationed at Fort Riley. Both newcomers shared their resiliency after battling through injuries. Kasubke was expected to redshirt after a preseason foot injury, but he returned to play in the final 16 games, while averaging 15.9 minutes per game. Also, an expected redshirt candidate, Linguard battled through injuries to play in 17 games, averaging 6.6 minutes per game.
Gordon was honored with the Ernie Barrett Play Hard Award after leading the Wildcats on the season Wayne McClain Play Hard Chart with 170 points. He led the team in steals (30) and loose balls (37), while was second in deflections/blocks (49) and third in offensive rebounds (36).
One of the nation's youngest teams, K-State (9-20, 4-14 Big 12) finished the 2020-21 season on a high note by winning 4 of its last 6 games, including battling eventual national champion Baylor, 74-68, in the quarterfinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City.
2020-21 Kansas State Men's Basketball Team Awards:
Porky Morgan Most Inspirational Award: Davion Bradford
Rolando Blackman Most Valuable Player Award: Mike McGuirl
Tex Winter Top Offensive Player Award: Nijel Pack
Jack Hartman Top Defensive Player Award: Selton Miguel
Dean Harris Sixth Man Award: Kaosi Ezeagu
Ernie Barrett Play Hard Award: DaJuan Gordon
Ed Nealy Most Improved Award: Davion Bradford
Mitch Richmond Mr. Basketball Award: Nijel Pack
Bob Boozer Courage Award: Mike McGuirl
1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery "Never Broken" Award: Luke Kasubke/Carlton Linguard, Jr.
Keith Amerson Academic Award: Kaosi Ezeagu
Due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols, McGuirl was the only Wildcat to start all 29 games, while he played a key role in mentoring one of the youngest teams in the country. Three true freshmen (Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack) started together in 17 of 29 games, including 12 in Big 12 play.
McGuirl, along with sophomore Kaosi Ezeagu and freshmen Davion Bradford and Nijel Pack, each captured two awards. Bradford was named the winner of the Porky Morgan Most Inspirational Player and Ed Nealy Most Improved Player awards, Ezeagu earned the Dean Harris Sixth Man and Keith Amerson Academic awards, while Pack was selected as winner of the Tex Winter Top Offensive Player and Mitch Richmond Mr. Basketball awards.
Other award winners included sophomore DaJuan Gordon (Ernie Barrett Play Hard), freshman Selton Miguel (Jack Hartman Top Defensive Player) and freshman Luke Kasubke and sophomore Carlton Linguard, Jr., as co-winners of the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery "Never Broken" Award.
An All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection, McGuirl either led or tied for the team lead in 12 categories, including points (342), double-digit scoring games (20), field goals made (112) and attempted (315), 3-point field goals made (60) and attempted (190), free throws made (58) and attempted (76), assists (103), steals (30) and minutes (34.3). He was second in scoring average (11.8 ppg.) to Pack.
McGuirl has already announced that he is utilizing his extra season and returning for the 2021-22 season.
In his first full season at K-State, Ezeagu won the Dean Harris Sixth Man Award as well as the Keith Amerson Academic Award. A starter in the first four games, he missed 10 games in December and January before returning to play in the last 15 games, averaging 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. The Sixth Man Award is annually given to the team's top reserve and named in honor of Harris, who passed away in 1974.
An Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection, Ezeagu also won the team's top academic honor, which is named in honor of Amerson, who played at K-State from 1990-91 and passed away in January 2019. Ezeagu was also a member of the 2020 Fall Commissioner's Honor Roll.
The freshman trio of Bradford, Miguel and Pack combined for 71 starts, which trailed only Kentucky (72) for the most combined starts by Division I true freshmen in 2020-21. The trio started together 17 times, which trailed just Duke (19) and Kentucky (18) for the most such occurrences in Division I. They combined to average 25.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals this past season.
Pack became the just the third true freshman to win the team's top offensive player award and the first since Marcus Foster in 2014. He ranked first or second in most offensive categories, including tops in scoring (12.7 ppg.), 20-point games (3) and 3-point field goals made (60). He trailed just McGuirl in total points (305), double-digit scoring games (16) and field goals made (109). He was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since Foster.
Bradford was the winner of the program's oldest award – the Porky Morgan Most Inspirational Player Award – which honors the longtime K-State Athletics Trainer from 1950-80 as well as the team's most improved award. The rookie exceeded expectations, averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, while seeing action in all 29 games, including 25 starts. The 25 starters were second only to McGuirl's 29. He ended the year on a high note, scoring in double figures in 5 of the last 8 games, including a season-tying 18 points vs. No. 2/2 Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championships.
Miguel became the first true freshman to win the team's defensive player award, as the rookie developed into one of the Big 12's top defensive stoppers. He saw action in all 29 games with 20 starts, while averaging 7.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 27.5 minutes per game.
Kasubke and Linguard shared the "Never Broken" Award, which was established in 2009-10 to honor the team's relationship with the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery stationed at Fort Riley. Both newcomers shared their resiliency after battling through injuries. Kasubke was expected to redshirt after a preseason foot injury, but he returned to play in the final 16 games, while averaging 15.9 minutes per game. Also, an expected redshirt candidate, Linguard battled through injuries to play in 17 games, averaging 6.6 minutes per game.
Gordon was honored with the Ernie Barrett Play Hard Award after leading the Wildcats on the season Wayne McClain Play Hard Chart with 170 points. He led the team in steals (30) and loose balls (37), while was second in deflections/blocks (49) and third in offensive rebounds (36).
One of the nation's youngest teams, K-State (9-20, 4-14 Big 12) finished the 2020-21 season on a high note by winning 4 of its last 6 games, including battling eventual national champion Baylor, 74-68, in the quarterfinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City.
2020-21 Kansas State Men's Basketball Team Awards:
Porky Morgan Most Inspirational Award: Davion Bradford
Rolando Blackman Most Valuable Player Award: Mike McGuirl
Tex Winter Top Offensive Player Award: Nijel Pack
Jack Hartman Top Defensive Player Award: Selton Miguel
Dean Harris Sixth Man Award: Kaosi Ezeagu
Ernie Barrett Play Hard Award: DaJuan Gordon
Ed Nealy Most Improved Award: Davion Bradford
Mitch Richmond Mr. Basketball Award: Nijel Pack
Bob Boozer Courage Award: Mike McGuirl
1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery "Never Broken" Award: Luke Kasubke/Carlton Linguard, Jr.
Keith Amerson Academic Award: Kaosi Ezeagu
Players Mentioned
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