Northwestern University Athletics
Chase Audige Named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Finalist
3/14/2023 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ATLANTA – A week after being named 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Chase Audige has been selected as one of four finalists for the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Audige was additionally selected as Second Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third Team All-Big Ten by the coaches. On the offensive end of the floor, Audige posted 14.1 points and 2.8 assists per game. The Coram, N.Y. native has scored in double figures in 23 games this season, highlighted by a career-high 28 points in an 83-45 win over DePaul on December 17. Audige shared the Defensive Player of the Year award with Rutgers' Caleb McConnell.
Audige has been a key cog in a resurgent Northwestern defense this season, a unit that ranks second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 62.5 points per game. Northwestern's 62.5 points per game marks a 7.4-point improvement from the 2021-22 team's average of 69.9 points allowed per game.
The 2023 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year announcement will take place on Sunday, April 2, at the Naismith Awards Brunch presented by Frost Bank during the Final Four in Houston. The event will be held at the Ballroom at Bayou Place.
The senior's 76 steals this season lead the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally. Additionally, Audige's 76 thefts are second-most in a single-season in Northwestern history, trailing only Patrick Baldwin's 1991 total of 90. During his NU career, Audige has recorded four games totaling five steals or more, the most by any Northwestern player since at least 2010-11.1 of 4 Finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year ??@ChaseAudige is one of the best. pic.twitter.com/P1zsd1UrU0
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) March 14, 2023
Audige was additionally selected as Second Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third Team All-Big Ten by the coaches. On the offensive end of the floor, Audige posted 14.1 points and 2.8 assists per game. The Coram, N.Y. native has scored in double figures in 23 games this season, highlighted by a career-high 28 points in an 83-45 win over DePaul on December 17. Audige shared the Defensive Player of the Year award with Rutgers' Caleb McConnell.
Audige has been a key cog in a resurgent Northwestern defense this season, a unit that ranks second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 62.5 points per game. Northwestern's 62.5 points per game marks a 7.4-point improvement from the 2021-22 team's average of 69.9 points allowed per game.
The 2023 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year announcement will take place on Sunday, April 2, at the Naismith Awards Brunch presented by Frost Bank during the Final Four in Houston. The event will be held at the Ballroom at Bayou Place.
| FULL NAME | CLASS | POS | SCHOOL | Conference |
| Jaylen Clark | Junior | G | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Chase Audige | Senior | G | Northwestern | Big Ten |
| Caleb McConnell | Fifth Year | G | Rutgers | Big Ten |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Junior | C | Creighton | BIG EAST |
Players Mentioned
G
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