Oct. 30, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior Patrick Patterson and freshman John Wall were both named to the Naismith Preseason Watch list as announced by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club.

Patterson is making his second straight appearance on the Naismith watch list. The pre-season All-American enters his junior year ranked 55th on UK’s all-time scoring list with 1,020 points. A two-time All-SEC selection and 2009 NABC Second Team All-District selection, Patterson was the only SEC player last year to rank in the top-five in scoring and rebounding at 17.9 pp g and 9.3 rpg, while also leading the SEC with 15 double-doubles last season.

Wall is one of five freshmen on the watch list. A pre-season All-American according to several national publications, Wall was the top recruit in the country last season according to Rivals.com.

The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2009-10 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2010 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis, Ind.

Since 2005, presenting sponsor AT&T has set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining the trophy winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25% of the final results – more than any other national college basketball award. In February, during CBS’ coverage of college basketball, the “AT&T at the Half” segment will feature a Naismith Trophy update highlighting the players in contention for the award.

In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the Top 30 players in the nation. Then in March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.