Big Ten Release | Dosunmu and Cockburn Awards
Champaign, ILL.– The All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners were announced on Tuesday by the conference office, with the Illinois program well represented on the list of league honors.
Junior Ayo Dosunmu is a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection after averaging 20.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists, becoming the first player in the NCAA in the last 11 seasons to average 20 points, six rebounds and five assists while also earning a reputation as the best closer in college basketball. This is the second year in a row that Dosunmu has earned first-team honors, becoming the first Illini since Dee Brown in 2005 and 2006 to be named first-team All-Big Ten in consecutive seasons.
Sophomore Kofi Cockburn also earned first-team All-Big Ten accolades after averaging 17.3 points and 9.6 rebounds on 66% shooting. This marks the first time in 15 years that Illinois has two players on the All-Big Ten first team, since Dee Brown and James Augustine in 2006.
Andre Curbelo took home a pair of awards, named the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Curbelo is averaging 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists to take home the honor as the league's top reserve, and also gives the Illini a spot on the all-freshman team for the fourth straight year of Coach Underwood's tenure (Trent Frazier-2018, Ayo Dosunmu-2019, Kofi Cockburn-2020).
Senior Trent Frazier has been recognized for his relentless effort on both ends of the court, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team while also earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. Frazier averages 10.6 points and is shooting 38% from 3-point range while guarding the opponent's top perimeter player every night out.
These four players have helped lead Illinois to its current No. 3 ranking and a 20-6 regular season and 16-4 record in conference play, the winningest Big Ten season in school history.
Illinois opens Big Ten Tournament play in the quarterfinal round on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT on BTN.
