RASHAD VAUGHN A FINALIST FOR JERRY WEST AWARD
UNLV men’s basketball freshman guard on watch list for new honor that will go to nation’s top shooting guard
UNLV men’s basketball freshman guard Rashad Vaughn is one of 16 candidates named to the watch list for the 2015 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its inaugural year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list.
Vaughn suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during UNLV’s win over Fresno State on Feb. 10, and had surgery on Wednesday. He is out indefinitely.
Vaughn is UNLV’s leading scorer this season with an average of 17.8 points per game and has scored 30 or more points twice, and 20 or more on nine occasions. He appeared in 23 of UNLV’s 24 games before being injured, starting all of the games he played in. He has also averaged 4.8 rebounds per contest.
By early March, the current list of 16 finalists for the award will be narrowed down to five players. The final five players in contention for the award will be presented to West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
The winner of the 2015 Jerry West Award will be presented at ESPN’s new College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s from Club Nokia in Los Angeles on Friday, April 10. The show will be televised live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. PT.
For more information on the award, visit http://www.hoophallawards.com/west.php
2015 Jerry West Award Candidates
Tyler Haws, Brigham Young University
Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington University
James Blackmon Jr., University of Indiana
Sheldon McClellan, University of Miami
Rashad Vaughn, UNLV
Trevor Lacey, North Carolina State University
Jerian Grant, University of Notre Dame
D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State University
Buddy Hield, University of Oklahoma
Joseph Young, University of Oregon
D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s University
Chasson Randle, Stanford University
Malcolm Brogdon, University of Virginia
Ron Baker, Wichita State University
Marcus Thornton, College of William & Mary
E.C. Matthews, University of Rhode Island