Men’s Basketball: Gant Named Finalist For Lou Henson Award +Gant Invited To Portsmouth Invitational
Award presented to top mid-major player in Division I college basketball
Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications, April 3, 2019
BOSTON – Two days after being named a finalist for a national award, Louisiana’s JaKeenan Gant was named to a second list as he was named a finalist for the 2019 Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award which was announced by CollegeInsider.com on Wednesday.
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major player in Division I College Basketball.
The selection of Gant, a two-time Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year, was the second for the senior after he was named on Monday as a finalist for the Lefty Driesell Award, presented to the nation’s top defensive player.
As a senior during the 2018-19 season, Gant finished third in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring (20.5), led the league in both rebounds (8.7) and blocked shots (2.6) and was second in field goal percentage (.541). He finished the season as the lone Division I player to average 20 points, eight rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game during the season.
During SBC play, Gant averaged 23.1 points per game – third among all SBC players – while finishing second in the league in field goal percentage (.562) and pacing the conference in both rebounds (9.2) and blocked shots (2.2).
Earlier this season, the 6-foot-8 forward became the 48th player in school history to reach the 1,000-point scoring mark, and was the 10th player in school history to reach the milestone in two years.
Gant was one of three Sun Belt Conference players to be selected as finalists on the 36-player list, joining Georgia State’s D’Marcus Simonds and Tookie Brown of Georgia Southern.
Lou Henson coached 41 years. When he left the game in 2005 he was sixth all-time in career Division I wins with 779. He is the winningest coach at both Illinois and New Mexico State. He is one of only 12 coaches in the history of the game to take two schools to the Final Four.
The 2019 Lou Henson Award will be presented at the College Insider awards event in April at the site of the men’s division I national championship in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsMBB), Facebook (RaginCajunsMBB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsMBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Men’s Basketball.
| 2019 LOU HENSON ALL-AMERICA TEAM |
|
| Bryce Aiken |
6-0 |
Jr. |
Harvard |
| Francis Alonso |
6-3 |
Sr. |
UNC Greensboro |
| Keith Braxton |
6-4 |
Jr. |
Saint Francis PA |
| Tookie Brown |
5-11 |
Jr. |
Georgia Southern |
| Devontae Cacok |
6-7 |
Sr. |
UNCW |
| Yoeli Childs |
6-8 |
Jr. |
BYU |
| Chris Clemons |
5-9 |
Sr. |
Campbell |
| Jeremy Combs |
6-7 |
Sr. |
Texas Southern |
| Mike Daum |
6-9 |
Sr. |
South Dakota State |
| Antoine Davis |
6-1 |
Fr. |
Detroit |
| Frankie Ferrari |
6-0 |
Sr. |
San Francisco |
| Jordan Ford |
6-1 |
Jr. |
Saint Mary’s |
| JaKeenan Gant |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Louisiana |
| Rapolas Ivanauskas |
6-10 |
Jr. |
Colgate |
| Cameron Jackson |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Wofford |
| Carlik Jones |
6-1 |
So. |
Radford |
| Nathan Knight |
6-10 |
Jr. |
William & Mary |
| John Konchar |
6-5 |
Sr. |
Purdue-Fort Wayne |
| Anthony Lamb |
6-6 |
Jr. |
Vermont |
| Loudon Love |
6-9 |
So. |
Wright State |
| Fletcher Magee |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Wofford |
| Jermaine Marrow |
6-0 |
Jr. |
Hampton |
| CJ Massinburg |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Buffalo |
| Garrison Mathews |
6-5 |
Sr. |
Lipscomb |
| Nick Mayo |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Eastern Kentucky |
| Drew McDonald |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Northern Kentucky |
| Ja Morant |
6-3 |
So. |
Murray State |
| Miye Oni |
6-6 |
Jr. |
Yale |
| Nick Perkins |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Buffalo |
| Matt Rafferty |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Furman |
| Grant Riller |
6-4 |
Jr. |
Charleston |
| D’Marcus Simonds |
6-3 |
Jr. |
Georgia State |
| Terry Taylor |
6-5 |
So. |
Austin Peay |
| Dylan Windler |
6-7 |
Sr. |
Belmont |
| Justin Wright-Foreman |
6-1 |
Sr. |
Hofstra |
| Cameron Young |
6-6 |
Sr. Q |
Quinnipiac
* * * * * * *
|
Senior to showcase his talents in front of NBA scouts, GMs in four-day event
Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns basketball alum JaKeenan Gant will have a chance to show off his talents in front of NBA scouts, general managers and team representatives as he was one of 64 seniors invited to participate in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, scheduled for April 17-20 in Portsmouth, Va.
Gant, a two-time Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year, finished third in the league in scoring (20.5) during the 2018-19 season, led the league in both rebounds (8.7) and blocked shots (2.6) and was second in field goal percentage (.541). He finished the season as the lone Division I player to average 20 points, eight rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game during the season.
During Sun Belt Conference play, Gant averaged 23.1 points per game – third among all SBC players – while finishing second in the league in field goal percentage (.562) and pacing the conference in both rebounds (9.2) and blocked shots (2.2).
The tournament, in its 68th year, draws representatives from each NBA team along with numerous international leagues. The entire field of 64 players from the 2018 PIT are currently playing professionally either in the NBA, the G-League or overseas while 1 in 4 players during the past two seasons have spent time on a NBA roster.
For tickets or more information, visit www.PortsmouthInvitational.com.
Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsMBB), Facebook (RaginCajunsMBB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsMBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Men’s Basketball.
