Despite a shaky start of his season, Indiana basketball wing Mackenzie Mgbako has won the Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year award.
Mgbako shared the award with Iowa forward Owen Freeman. Mgbako was a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week winner this season.
This is the second straight season the Indiana basketball program has won the award. Last year, Jalen Hood-Schifino was named Freshman of the Year in the conference. Mgbako is the fourth winner from Indiana since the 2011-12 season (Hood-Schifino, Vonleh, Zeller).
Mgbako is averaging 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game this season. He finished the regular season shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three and 81.2 percent from the free throw line.
He led all Big Ten freshmen in scoring.
He has started all 31 games.
It has been well documented the struggles Mgbako had in his first month. The 6-foot-8 wing averaged just 5.0 points on 32 percent shooting in the first five games of the year. He was just 1-of-13 from three. He had a 13-point game against Wright State but the other four games totaled just 12 points.
In the 26 games since, Mgbako has averaged 13.5 points per game while shooting 36.9 percent from three with 1.8 made 3s per game. He has 17 games with at least two made 3s.
“Sometimes you gotta fail to be successful,” Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson said last month. “I like his work ethic. When he’s in practice, he gives you what he’s got … I’m happy with Mack, man, I just think he’s gonna continue to get better as the games go along.”
Mgbako’s play has become even more pivotal in the last month as he’s turned into one of the better scoring wings in the conference. In the last seven games, Mgbako is averaging 16.4 points while shooting 40.9 percent from three with 2.6 made 3s per game. He has all three of his 20-point games in that span as well.
His career high is 24 points which he scored against Maryland.
Mgbako ranks third in Big Ten games alone in three-point percentage, shooting 37.9 percent.
“It’s just letting the game come to me and not forcing anything,” Mgbako said last week. “Playing within the system and being confident in myself and my teammates to make the right play.
“Staying in the game (mentally), being able to know where to be at on the court. Knowing how to get to my spots — if Gallo (Trey Galloway) is coming off a screen, I need to rise above the corner. Or if he’s driving baseline, go to the deep corner. Just knowing where to be on the floor so I can knock down the shot or make a play for somebody else.”
Mgbako was named the Preseason Big Ten Freshman of the Year coming into this season.
Indiana basketball begins its Big Ten Tournament on Thursday night against the winner of Penn State and Michigan.
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