Without setting foot on the hardwood, the impressive week for the Arizona Men’s Basketball continues. After two Wildcats landed on Hoop Hall midseason watch lists earlier in the week, two more from the front court have found themselves on their respective lists. Arizona forward Koa Peat has been named to the Karl Malone Award midseason watch list, while center Motiejus Krivas has been named to the midseason watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award.
The Malone Award recognizes the top power forward in college basketball annually. Peat, one of 20 players on the preseason watch list, makes the 10-player midseason cut. The Phoenix-area native is averaging 14.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting a whopping 57.0% from the field.
Peat burst onto the scene in his collegiate debut, scoring 30 points to help the Arizona Wildcats upset the defending national champions and then-No. 3 Florida Gators on opening day in Las Vegas. His breakout performance earned him Big 12 Co-Player and Newcomer of the Week honors.
If he wins, Peat will be the first Wildcat to win the award since Deandre Ayton did in 2018.
Unlike Peat, Mo Krivas did not begin on the Abdul-Jabbar award preseason watch list, making his play down the stretch of the season that much more impressive. The junior big man is averaging 11.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks this season while shooting 60.7% from the field.
After missing most of his sophomore campaign with a foot injury, the Lithuanian has registered five double-doubles on the year, including a 25-point, 12-rebound performance in the Big 12 home opener versus Kansas State.
The Wildcats have never had an Abdul-Jabbar Award winner, though former Tommy Lloyd disciple and UA graduate assistant Przemek Karnowski did take home the award in 2017 at Gonzaga.
Arizona is the only program in the nation with four players on Hoop Hall award midseason watch lists, with Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries landing on the Cousy Award and Jerry West Award watch lists, respectively.