BOSTON, Mass. – Senior Devontae Blanton is on the 2024-25 Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List.  The award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball.
 
The Lou Henson Award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.  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.

Blanton is one of three players from the Atlantic Sun Conference to be selected to the initial list of 50 players from across the nation.
 
The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, Texas during the men's NCAA Division I Basketball Final Four.  Last year, EKU's Isaiah Cozart was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award.
 
Through the first four games of the season, Blanton is averaging 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.75 assists and 2.0 steals per game while leading the Colonels to a 3-1 record.
 
The Macedonia, Ohio native scored a game-high 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field against Clemson.  He also grabbed six rebounds.  On Tuesday at Chicago State, Blanton finished with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists and one steal.
 
Blanton is fifth in the ASUN in scoring, fourth in steals, sixth in field goal percentage (51.9 percent), tied for sixth in assists and ninth in rebounding.
 
EKU will play three games in the Gulf Coast Showcase starting Monday against Ball State at noon ET.  The Colonels will also face Southern Illinois and Louisiana Tech at the event in Estero, Florida.