TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati junior swingman Jacob Evans III (Baton Rouge, La./St. Michael the Archangel HS) has been named a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.
Named after Hall of Famer and 11-time NBA All-Star Julius Erving, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 21 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.
The versatile Evans averages a team-high 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks for sixth-ranked Cincinnati (22-2, 11-0 American Athletic Conference).
Evans entered Wednesday ranked among the league leaders in nine categories: three-point field goal percentage (sixth at .411), steals (eighth at 1.4), assist-to-turnover ratio (ninth at 1.8); assists (11th at 3.4), free throw percentage (11th at .794), blocks (13th at 1.1), three-pointers made (14th at 1.8) and minutes played (21st at 30.9).
Evans has scored in double figures in 21 games this season, including 18 of the last 20 contests. He currently ranks 41st in school history with 1,093 career points.
Evans has been named The American's Player of the Week twice this season (Dec. 18, 2017 and Jan. 8, 2018). Most recently, he hit a buzzer beater at Temple (Jan. 4) and scored a game-high 18 points against SMU (Jan. 7) to earn the honor on Jan. 8. Earlier this season, he netted a season-high 24 points with four threes against Mississippi State (Dec. 12) and had 16 points with four threes at UCLA (Dec. 16) to claim the honor on Dec. 18.
On Monday Evans was tabbed to The American's Weekly Honor Roll after averaging a team-high 18.5 points with 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 92.9 percent (13 of 14) from the free throw line in a pair of victories last week.
In the preseason, Evans was named to the 2018 John Wooden Award Watch List and was tabbed second team all-conference by AAC coaches.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee for the 2018 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. The winner will be honored at ESPN's College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, Apr. 6, 2018. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
// JULIUS ERVING SMALL FORWARD OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALIST
Kelan Martin, Butler
Jacob Evans III, Cincinnati
Gary Trent Jr., Duke
Kevin Knox, Kentucky
Deng Adel, Louisville
Miles Bridges, Michigan St.
Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio St.
Vincent Edwards, Purdue
Mikal Bridges, Villanova
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier
// NEXT GAME
Sixth-ranked Cincinnati plays at SMU on Sunday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN and 700 WLW.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).
Named after Hall of Famer and 11-time NBA All-Star Julius Erving, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 21 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.
The versatile Evans averages a team-high 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks for sixth-ranked Cincinnati (22-2, 11-0 American Athletic Conference).
Evans entered Wednesday ranked among the league leaders in nine categories: three-point field goal percentage (sixth at .411), steals (eighth at 1.4), assist-to-turnover ratio (ninth at 1.8); assists (11th at 3.4), free throw percentage (11th at .794), blocks (13th at 1.1), three-pointers made (14th at 1.8) and minutes played (21st at 30.9).
Evans has scored in double figures in 21 games this season, including 18 of the last 20 contests. He currently ranks 41st in school history with 1,093 career points.
Evans has been named The American's Player of the Week twice this season (Dec. 18, 2017 and Jan. 8, 2018). Most recently, he hit a buzzer beater at Temple (Jan. 4) and scored a game-high 18 points against SMU (Jan. 7) to earn the honor on Jan. 8. Earlier this season, he netted a season-high 24 points with four threes against Mississippi State (Dec. 12) and had 16 points with four threes at UCLA (Dec. 16) to claim the honor on Dec. 18.
On Monday Evans was tabbed to The American's Weekly Honor Roll after averaging a team-high 18.5 points with 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 92.9 percent (13 of 14) from the free throw line in a pair of victories last week.
In the preseason, Evans was named to the 2018 John Wooden Award Watch List and was tabbed second team all-conference by AAC coaches.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee for the 2018 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. The winner will be honored at ESPN's College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, Apr. 6, 2018. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
// JULIUS ERVING SMALL FORWARD OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALIST
Kelan Martin, Butler
Jacob Evans III, Cincinnati
Gary Trent Jr., Duke
Kevin Knox, Kentucky
Deng Adel, Louisville
Miles Bridges, Michigan St.
Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio St.
Vincent Edwards, Purdue
Mikal Bridges, Villanova
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier
// NEXT GAME
Sixth-ranked Cincinnati plays at SMU on Sunday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN and 700 WLW.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).