BEVO FRANCIS WATCH LIST (.pdf)
Ashland University senior forward Wendell Davis has advanced to the final 50 players on the watch list for the Bevo Francis Award, given to the to the player who has had the finest overall season within small college basketball, which includes NCAA Division II & III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA. The reduced list was released on Thursday (Feb. 15) morning.
The award is selected by a committee of university presidents and coaches from across the country. The group of 50 players was narrowed down from 1,100 colleges and university and took into consideration individual statistics, previous awards, milestones and team success.
Davis certainly checks off all of those boxes as the preseason All-American ranks in the top 10 in seven statistical categories in the GLIAC. He ranks second in the GLIAC in scoring (21.1), seventh in rebounding (6.6) and fifth in assists (3.6). In the shooting categories, Davis is ninth in field goal percentage (.537), third in 3-point percentage (.467) and eighth in free throw percentage (.786). Davis leads the GLIAC in 3-pointers made (71) and minutes (845).
Last week, Davis became the second player in program history to reach 500 points in a season three times. He ranks second on AU's all-time scoring list (1,837) and is third on the program's all-time rebounding list (749).
The Reynoldsburg, Ohio native has been named the GLIAC South Player of the Week seven times this season and 14 times in his career.
All five GLIAC players who were on the 100-player watch list last month advanced to Thursday's release of the 50-player list. Those players include Ferris State's Drew Cushingberry and Zach Hankins, Michigan Tech's Kyle Monroe and Lake Superior State's Akaemji Williams.
The Bevo Francis Award watch list will be narrowed to 25 players on March 15 with finalists being announced on March 31. The winner will be released on April 2. The previous winner was Justin Pitts from 2017 national champion Northwest Missouri State.
The Eagles (16-8, 9-7 GLIAC) start a crucial two-game road trip tonight (Thursday, Feb. 15) at 6 p.m. at Grand Valley State.
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