March 30, 2023

HOUSTON, TX -- Louisiana’s Jordan Brown is the recipient of the 2023 Lou Henson National Player of the Year award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in division I college basketball.

The 6-foot-11 junior averaged 19.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories. He finished tied for third in points per game and tied for fifth in rebounds in the Sun Belt Conference this season.

The former Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year (2020-21) and Mountain West Preseason Freshman of the Year (2018-19) helped lead Louisiana to an historic season.

“After stops at Nevada and Arizona, Jordan Brown found a comfort zone in Lafayette, Louisiana and that was an unwelcome development for the rest of the Sun Belt Conference,” said Angela Lento, Vice President of CollegeInsider.com. “His emergence as a leader propelled the team to a special a season.  He can beat you with both hands in the post and has outstanding footwork. That footwork helped to get the Ragin’ Cajuns dancing for the first time since 2014.”

The native of Roseville, Calif carried the Ragin' Cajuns to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014 and was named Tournament MVP for his efforts, averaging 15.7 points and 11.7 rebounds over three games.

A First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honoree, Brown was a key to Louisiana going unbeaten at home. It was the first undefeated season at the Cajundome since the facility opened in 1985.  It was also the first time the program went undefeated at home since the 1972-73.

On the record-setting night, Brown was nearly unstoppable, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds while going 13-of-15, for his third double-double in as many games.

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.

Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
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.

2023 LOU HENSON ALL-AMERICA TEAM

Note: Some of the content from the press release came directly from University of Louisiana media releases.