HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Sam Houston junior Zach Nutall has been named as a finalist for the 2020-21 Lou Henson Award, CollegeInsider.com announced on Thursday.
The Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Nutall has also been selected as one of 30 members of the Lou Henson All-American Team. The Southland Conference Player of the Year led the league in scoring at 19.35 points per game, which ranked 33rd in the nation and was also the highest single season scoring average since the Bearkats moved up to the Division I level in 1987.
Nutall, who was also named to the NABC All-District 22 first team, shot 37.2 percent from 3-point range, fourth best in the league, 43.9 percent from the field, 10th best, and averaged 5.71 rebounds, which ranked 13th.
Nutall is the only Southland Conference player the mid major All-American Team. He was named the CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Award Mid Major National Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 11-16 after he averaged 30.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in a pair of victories over Lamar and Houston Baptist.
The award is named after Lou Henson who is the winningest coach in Illinois basketball history with 423 victories. During his 21 seasons (1975-1996), Henson led the Fighting Illini to 16 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and a Final Four appearance in 1989.
Henson, who is also the all-time winningest coach in New Mexico State history with 289 victories, is one of only 11 coaches to take two different schools to the NCAA Final Four. His teams have made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt and West Coast.
The winner of the Lou Henson Award will be announced April 1.
Nutall named Lou Henson Award finalist
The Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball
