Penn State’s Ace Baldwin Jr. Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List

Penn State point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. is up for one of the most prestigious awards in college basketball. Baldwin is one of 15 players who landed on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list, which was released on Wednesday.

Baldwin, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has averaged two steals per game this season and is currently the NCAA’s active leader in career steals. He is the only Big Ten player included on the watch list.

In his fifth and final season of collegiate eligibility, Baldwin has also been named to the USBWA’s Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason watch list and is one of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award.

Baldwin leads the Nittany Lions with 14 points and 7.7 assists per game this season.

After a 69-61 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday, Penn State fell to 13-10 on the season and has dropped each of its past four contests. The Nittany Lions will look to turn things around at UCLA on Saturday.