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Caleb Love named to Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Watch List

Arizona guard Caleb Love was named to the Naismith Player of the Year Watch List on Wednesday

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (2) reacts after a basket during the first half in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Dayton Flyers at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Gabriel Mayberry-Imagn Images
Mar 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (2) reacts after a basket during the first half in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Dayton Flyers at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Gabriel Mayberry-Imagn Images / Gabriel Mayberry-Imagn Images
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After being named a preseason All-American by the Associated Press and first-team All-Big XII, Caleb Love is on the watch list for the Naismith Award. On Tuesday Love was named to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year watch list. Love led Arizona in 2023-24 averaging 18.0 points per game and posted 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Love set several career highs during the 2023-24 season despite playing the third most amount of minutes during his career. Under Tommy Lloyd Love became a far more efficient player, Love shot over 40 percent for the first time during his college career and had his highest field goal and two-point goal percentages.

Love has gotten off to a bit of a slow start averaging 9.5 PPG, 1.0 rebounds, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 8-18 from the floor, 3-11 on three-point attempts and 0-1 on free throws playing 21.5 minutes per game in two exhibition game. Arizona opens the regular season versus Canisius on Monday.

Lloyd spoke about the dedication Love has made to changing his game during the offseason. Lloyd likes the continuity Arizona has with the return of Jaden Bradley, K.J. Lewis and Love in the backcourt. Bradley and Love will be starters in 2024-25 after being key reserves last season,

Arizona has never had a player win the Naismith National Player of the Year Award. Sean Elliott won the Wooden Award as the National Player of the Year in 1988-89. Love has a chance to become the 14th Arizona consensus All-American. Elliott is the only Arizona player named Consensus All-American twice.

Only seven Arizona players have been named first-team consensus All-American. That included Elliott twice. Azuolas Tubelis in 2022-23 was the last Arizona Consensus All-American. Tubelis was named to the second-team. Love is in good position to earn All-American in 2024-25.

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