April 5, 2019

THE 2019 AWARD

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Sharpshooting guard Fletcher Magee of Wofford is the 2018-19 recipient of the Lou Henson Award given annually to the nation’s best mid-major player in Division I college basketball.

Magee poured in 158 3-pointers this season to finish his career as the NCAA Division I career leader with 509, connecting at a 43.5 percent clip. His scoring (20.3 ppg) helped the Terriers to the best season in school history. Wofford won a school-record 30 games, earned a 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it crushed Seton Hall 84-68 in the opening round before losing to Kentucky by six points. All five Wofford losses came against NCAA Tournament teams.

Magee shot 44 percent from the field and 91 percent from the free throw line this season, finishing his career as a two-time Southern Conference Player of the Year with 2,516 points. 

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

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