The University of Akron Athletics
Johnson Named to the Lou Henson Early Season Watch List
December 18 | Men's Basketball
BOSTON, Mass. - University of Akron guard Tavari Johnson was named to the Lou Henson Early Season Watch List, as announced by CollegeInsider.Com on December 18.
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top player in Division I mid-major college basketball.
Johnson has been one of the top performers in the Mid-American Conference this season. He is currently averaging 19.4 points, 5.0 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He has 20 or more points in five games this season, with a career-high 35 coming against Yale in the Paradise Jam. He is also shooting .545 from the field, while shooting above 60 percent in four of the last five games, and .426 from beyond the arc. Johnson has also recorded five or more assists in six games, with a career-high 11 coming against Milwaukee.
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.
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 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
