Penn State Men’s Basketball: Pickett Headlines Big Ten Honors for Nittany Lions

Jalen Pickett has been named a consensus first-team All-Big Ten pick to lead the Nittany Lions’ conference postseason awards contingent. The conference released its award All-Big Ten teams on Tuesday afternoon. In addition to Pickett, seniors Seth Lundy and Andrew Funk were both selected as honorable mention All-Big Ten picks.

Pickett is now the sixth Nittany Lion in program history to be named consensus (coaches and media) first-team All-Big Ten and the first since Lamar Stevens in 2020. The Rochester, N.Y. native was a unanimous first-team selection by the conference media. Lundy and Funk both pick up their first-career Big Ten postseason honors, being named honorable mention All-Big Ten by both the conference coaches and media.

While Pickett’s season has been well documented, Funk shot 40.6 percent from deep in Big Ten play, leading the conference in both 3FG made per game and 3FG% in conference games. In addition, Lundy has been one of the most efficiently productive players in the country this season and is the only player in the Big Ten and one of just eight players in the nation that is averaging double-digit points (14.0) and six-plus (6.1) rebounds per game while shooting at least 50% from two (53.2%), 40% from three (40.9%) and 80% from the free throw line (80.0%).

In addition, transfer guard Camren Wynter was named a Big Ten sportsmanship honoree, an award is given to student-athletes from each Big Ten school who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. All recipients must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Pickett’s first-team honors come shortly after being named a second-team All-American by Sporting News, the first of four official All-American designation organizations.

The Nittany Lions open postseason play Thursday when Penn State takes on Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. Tipoff from the United Center in Chicago is set for 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.