Iowa’s Kris Murray is first-team men’s basketball All-Big Ten

Hawkeye junior was picked by media and coaches. Iowa’s Filip Rebraca was third-team pick of media.

Mar. 7, 2023 11:56 am, Updated: Mar. 7, 2023 3:15 pm

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Kris Murray (24) knocks the ball away from Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) and drives it down the court to score in overtime at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Kris Murray had some bad news Tuesday for Iowa men’s basketball fans.

“There’s no more brothers,” he said, “so we can’t do a third year, I guess. We’ll see.”

But two first-team All-Big Ten honors in two years by two brothers is still pretty good. Junior forward Kris Murray was a first-team pick of both the league’s media and coaches Tuesday.

Cedar Rapids’ Murray has averaged 20.5 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. He leads his team in 3-pointers and is tied for its lead in blocked shots.

It is the fourth-straight season Iowa has had a first-team honoree. Keegan Murray was on the first team last year, Luka Garza did it 2020 and ’21. Kris Murray is the eighth first-teamer from Fran McCaffery’s Iowa clubs.

“He decided to come back,” McCaffery said. “He probably would have gone in the (NBA’s) second round, and he came back to make a statement. It's hard to be first-team all-league in this conference, and he did that. So really proud of him.”

Hawkeye senior Filip Rebraca was a third-team selection by the media. He averages 13.9 points and 7.6 assists.

Iowa sophomore forward Payton Sandfort was the coaches’ pick for Sixth Man of the Year.

“Means a lot,” Sandfort said. “Obviously I had to battle through a lot of tough times. I’m really proud of myself for just kind of perseverance.”

Get exclusive Hawkeye insights in your inbox

Hawk off the Press Newsletter Signup

Delivered once a week, each Friday

Please wait...

Thank you for joining us!

You will begin to receive our Weekly Hawkeye updates. Add john.steppe@thegazette.com to your contacts.

Sandfort averages 10.2 points. He started the first seven games this year, but had a prolonged shooting slump and began coming off the bench. He hit the 20-point mark in four conference games.

Hawkeye guards Connor McCaffery and Tony Perkins got honorable mention from the media and coaches. Iowa junior Patrick McCaffery was a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.

Purdue center Zach Edey is the consensus Player of the Year. Edey and Murray were joined on the media’s first team by Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, Michigan center Hunter Dickinson, Penn State guard Jalen Pickett and Northwestern guard Boo Buie.

The coaches had a five-player first-team with Edey, Murray, Jackson-Davis, Pickett and Illinois guard Terrence Shannon.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com