BOSTON -- Bryant men's basketball fifth year Earl Timberlake has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 Lou Henson Award, announced Thursday by CollegeInsider.com.

The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball. Timberlake joins Peter Kiss (2021-22) as the only Bulldogs to be named finalists for the award.

Timberlake is enjoying a historic season and career for a Bulldog team that is one win away from an America East title. The Washington, D.C., native was named the Kevin Roberson America East Player of the Year after averaging 15.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.7 bpg and 0.9 spg during the regular season. Timberlake became the first player in America East history, and just the second in NCAA history (per Sports Reference), to average those numbers in a season. He has followed that up with 19.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.5 apg and 3.0 bpg in two postseason games. 

Timberlake's recognition also adds to a long list of career accomplishments for the 6-6 guard from DeMatha Catholic. He enters Saturday's championship game with 1,301 points, 765 rebounds, 339 assists, 111 blocks and 93 steals, becoming the only player in program history to post 1,000+ points, 700+ rebounds, 300+ assists and 100+ blocks. Timberlake is a three-time All-America East selection, twice named to the first team, and has recorded 31 career double-doubles.

Timberlake and top-seeded Bryant host third-seeded Maine on Saturday (March 15) in the America East Championship. Tip is set for 11:00 a.m. and the game will air on ESPN2.

The Lou Henson award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons. Coach Henson 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.

Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 2020.

The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.

LOU HENSON AWARD FINALISTS
Daniel Batcho    6-11    Sr.    Louisiana Tech
Ante Brzovic    6-10    Sr.    Charleston
Adam "Budd" Clark    5-10    So.    Merrimack
Zach Cleveland    6-7    Jr.    Liberty
Oscar Cluff    6-11    Sr.    South Dakota State
Tayton Conerway    6-3    Sr.    Troy
Mark Freeman    5-11    Sr.    James Madison
Javohn Garcia    6-3    Sr.    McNeese
Kimani Hamilton    6-8    Jr.    High Point
Barrington Hargress    6-0    So.    UC Riverside
Jalen Jackson    6-2    Jr.    Purdue Fort Wayne
Nate Johnson    6-3    Jr.    Akron
Jordan Jones    6-0    Sr.    Central Connecticut State
Jacari Lane    6-0    Jr.    North Alabama
Bent Leuchten    7-1    Sr.    UC Irvine
Augustas Marciulionis    6-4    Sr.    Saint Mary's
Jordan Marsh    5-10    So.    UNC Asheville
Bez Mbeng    6-4    Sr.    Yale
Brian Moore, Jr.    6-2    Sr.    Norfolk State
Paulius Murauskas    6-8    So.    Saint Mary's
Dominick Nelson    6-5    Jr.    Utah Valley
Jacob Ognacevic    6-8    Sr.    Lipscomb
Quimari Peterson    6-1    Sr.    ETSU
Jaron Pierre Jr.    6-6    Sr.    Jacksonville State
John Poulakidas    6-6    Sr.    Yale
Matt Rogers    6-9    Sr.    American
PJay Smith Jr.    6-0    Sr.    Furman
Bennett Stirtz    6-4    Jr.    Drake
Marquel Sutton    6-9    Sr.    Omaha
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones    6-6    Sr.    UC San Diego
Ray'Sean Taylor    6-1    Sr.    SIU Edwardsville
Tyler Tejada    6-9    So.    Towson
Malik Thomas    6-5    Sr.    San Francisco
Earl Timberlake    6-6    Sr.    Bryant
Nick Townsend    6-7    Jr.    Yale

PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS Trey Townsend, Oakland (2024); Jordan Brown (2023); Malachi Smith, Chattanooga (2022); Max Abmas, Oral Roberts (2021); Nathan Knight, William & Mary (2020); Fletcher Magee, Wofford (2019); Clayton Custer, Loyola Chicago (2018); Justin Robinson, Monmouth (2017); Thomas Walkup, Stephen F. Austin (2016); Ty Greene, USC Upstate (2015); Langston Hall, Mercer (2014); Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary's (2013); Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State (2012); Matt Howard, Butler (2011), Keith Benson, Oakland (2010). 

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