Michigan basketball's Ignas Brazdeikis named Big Ten freshman of the year

Orion Sang
Detroit Free Press

Michigan basketball's Ignas Brazdeikis was named the Big Ten freshman of the year on Monday afternoon.

Brazdeikis and Zavier Simpson were each named to the All-Big Ten second team by coaches and media.

The Wolverines didn't have a player on the All-Big Ten first team.

Michigan forward Ignas Brazdeikis drives against Michigan State forward Aaron Henry during first half action Saturday, March 9, 2019 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.

Brazdeikis is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. A freshman, Brazdeikis burst onto the scene with a string of impressive performances in marquee wins against teams like Villanova and North Carolina. 

He's the seventh Michigan player to win the award, the first since Trey Burke shared it with Indiana's Cody Zeller in 2012. 

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA tournament brackets, scores, schedules, teams and more.

"I wanted to come in just ready to go, to do the best I could," Brazdeikis told the Big Ten Network. "I was really focused and ready to do my best. 

"I felt like this year's been great." 

Simpson, a junior, has started all 31 games at point guard. He averages 9.1 points, 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He is considered one of the top defensive point guards in the nation and is a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. The junior from Ohio was also a member of the Big Ten's All-Defensive team. 

Center Jon Teske and guard Jordan Poole earned honorable mention from both coaches and media, while wing Charles Matthews was named honorable mention by the media.

The All-Big Ten first team included Maryland's Bruno Fernando, Wisconsin's Ethan Happ, Purdue's Carsen Edwards, Minnesota's Jordan Murphy (media), Penn State's Lamar Stevens (coaches) and Michigan State's Cassius Winston — who also won player of the year.

Michigan guard Zavier Simpson warms up prior to a game against Michigan State on Saturday, March 9, 2019, in East Lansing.

In addition to Simpson and Brazdeikis, the second team included Maryland's Anthony Cowan, Iowa's Tyler Cook and Stevens (media) and Indiana's Romeo Langford and Murphy (coaches). 

U-M plays next in the Big Ten Tournament at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday against either Iowa, Illinois or Northwestern. 

Contact Orion Sang at osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter.