Trey Burke named to Naismith Trophy early-season watch list

One of the top freshmen in college basketball last season, Michigan point guard Trey Burke was named to the Naismith Trophy's early-season watch list on Tuesday, according to an official release.

Burke joined 49 other players from around the country on the award's yearly watch list, and was one of seven players nominated from the Big Ten along with Indiana's Cody Zeller and Ohio State's Aaron Craft. The 6'0 point guard was also among the total of 18 freshmen and sophomores in the field, and should be viewed as a serious candidate for the award with his new-look Wolverines poised for a strong season.

The list will eventually be cut down to 30 names in late February, and then will be brought to the Naismith Trophy voting academy to narrow the list down further to just four finalists heading into the NCAA Tournament. From there, the 2013 Naismith winner will then will be announced on April 7, 2013.