UConn star Sanogo named Most Outstanding Player
UConn big man Adama Sanogo was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
Sanogo had another strong performance in the championship game, posting 17 points and 10 boards for his fourth double-double of the Big Dance.
The Mali native entered Monday's title matchup as one of four players in NCAA Tournament history to average at least 20 points and shoot at least 65% from the field.
"He's obviously cemented himself into the pantheon of greatest big guys with all the production and back-to-back first-team all-league, and now this, to have the national championship just puts him in a position in one of the most storied programs in college basketball," Huskies head coach Dan Hurley said, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello. "He's an all-time great."
Sanogo is the fifth player in school history to win Most Outstanding Player honors.
| Player | Year |
|---|---|
| Richard Hamilton | 1999 |
| Emeka Okafor | 2004 |
| Kemba Walker | 2011 |
| Shabazz Napier | 2014 |
| Adama Sanogo | 2023 |
The 6-foot-9 junior also earned a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament team alongside teammates Jordan Hawkins and Tristen Newton. Lamont Butler of San Diego State and Alijah Martin of Florida Atlantic rounded out the list.
Sanogo led the Big East in scoring (17.2 points per game) and was fifth in rebounding (7.6). He ranked seventh in the NCAA in 2-point field goals (253) and 20th in field-goal percentage (60.7%).
The 21-year-old was also an All-Big East first-team selection and a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, which is given to the top center in college basketball each year.
UConn earned its fifth national title with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State.