The plaudits just keep coming in for Ohio State junior forward E.J. Liddell. The Illinois native was tabbed for the AP All-American third-team on March 15 after averaging 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this season, alongside Arkansas guard JD Notae, Auburn center Walker Kessler, Baylor guard James Akinjo, Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Villanova guard Collin Gillespie.
The first-team honors went to Illinois center Kofi Cockburn, Iowa forward Keegan Murray, Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji, Kentucky center Oscar Tshiebwe and Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, while the second team is populated by Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin, Auburn forward Jabari Smith, Gonzaga big men Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme and Purdue guard Jaden Ivey
Liddell was picked by the AP as an honorable mention last season. He’s already been picked as a first-team All-Big Ten player, an All-Defensive player in the Big Ten, a finalist for the Karl Malone Award and one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy, which goes to the national Player of the Year. Agbaji is considered the favorite for that crown, with Cockburn, Davis, Holmgren, Mathurin, Murray, Smith, Timme and Tshiebwe rounding out that group.
Liddell could be suiting up for the last time as a Buckeye on March 18 as the No. 7 Buckeyes set to take on No. 10 Loyola-Chicago in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Pittsburgh, Pa., at 12:15 p.m. Ohio State has dropped four of its last five games, while the Ramblers won seven of the last nine and each of their last three games to win the Missouri Valley Conference and qualify for the tournament.
