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Xavian Lee & Caden Pierce Featured In Mid-Season Award Watch Lists
January 10, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Lute Olson Award Release
Lou Henson Award Release
PRINCETON, N.J. – The accolades continue to roll in for the Princeton University men's basketball team as sophomore Xaivian Lee was named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award Mid-Season Watch List and the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Mid-Season Watch List Wednesday afternoon. Lee was joined on the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Award watch list by sophomore Caden Pierce.
Lee, a two-time Ivy League Player of the Week in 2023-24 and the only Ivy League player on the Lute Olson National Player of the Year mid-season watch list, is averaging 20.5 points-per-game, a figure that leads all underclassmen nationally in the Tigers' 12 DI games. He's doing so shooting 49.2% from the field and 84.8% from the free throw line while also recording 5.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Lee leads the Ivy League in assist/turnover ratio (2.6) and is ranked No. 2 in free throw percentage (84.0), No. 3 in made field goals (91), No. 3 in scoring (18.0) and No. 4 in assists (3.6). He is also shooting 48.9% shooting from the field and 39.5% shooting from three. With two 30-point games in 2023-24, Lee became the first Tiger to accomplish the feat since Myles Stephens '19 in the 2017-18 season. He becomes the first sophomore to do so since Brian Taylor '84 in 1970-71.
Pierce is a three-time Ivy League Player of the Week along with a one-time Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Player of the Week in 2023-24. He currently leads the Ivy League in rebounding (9.1) and ranks No. 5 in field goal percentage (56.0), No. 6 in assist/turnover ratio (2.6), No. 8 in scoring (14.4), No. 8 in assists (2.9), No. 9 in steals (1.3), No. 10 in blocks (0.6). Pierce also ranks No. 21 nationally in rebound percentage, No. 23 in defensive rebounds and No. 42 in rebounds rank No. 23. On the season, Pierce has tallied six double-doubles. Pierce's 26 points and 15 rebounds on Nov. 10 against Hofstra marked the first time a Princeton player recorded at least 26 points and 15 rebounds since Bob Roma '79 on Dec. 6, 1978
About the Lute Olson Award
The award is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.
Olson is one of just 25 head coaches in NCAA history to win 700 or more games (all divisions) and ranks ninth on the Division I career victories list. He finished with a winning percentage of .731 and is the all-time winningest coach in Arizona history with 587-190 record (.755). He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times.
Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons, and is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons.
In 2002, Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Coach Olson passed away on August 27, 2020.
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 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, AZ, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
About the Lou Henson Award
The Lou Henson award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
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.
Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 2020.
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
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 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, AZ, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Lou Henson Award Release
PRINCETON, N.J. – The accolades continue to roll in for the Princeton University men's basketball team as sophomore Xaivian Lee was named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award Mid-Season Watch List and the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Mid-Season Watch List Wednesday afternoon. Lee was joined on the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Award watch list by sophomore Caden Pierce.
Lee, a two-time Ivy League Player of the Week in 2023-24 and the only Ivy League player on the Lute Olson National Player of the Year mid-season watch list, is averaging 20.5 points-per-game, a figure that leads all underclassmen nationally in the Tigers' 12 DI games. He's doing so shooting 49.2% from the field and 84.8% from the free throw line while also recording 5.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Lee leads the Ivy League in assist/turnover ratio (2.6) and is ranked No. 2 in free throw percentage (84.0), No. 3 in made field goals (91), No. 3 in scoring (18.0) and No. 4 in assists (3.6). He is also shooting 48.9% shooting from the field and 39.5% shooting from three. With two 30-point games in 2023-24, Lee became the first Tiger to accomplish the feat since Myles Stephens '19 in the 2017-18 season. He becomes the first sophomore to do so since Brian Taylor '84 in 1970-71.
Pierce is a three-time Ivy League Player of the Week along with a one-time Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Player of the Week in 2023-24. He currently leads the Ivy League in rebounding (9.1) and ranks No. 5 in field goal percentage (56.0), No. 6 in assist/turnover ratio (2.6), No. 8 in scoring (14.4), No. 8 in assists (2.9), No. 9 in steals (1.3), No. 10 in blocks (0.6). Pierce also ranks No. 21 nationally in rebound percentage, No. 23 in defensive rebounds and No. 42 in rebounds rank No. 23. On the season, Pierce has tallied six double-doubles. Pierce's 26 points and 15 rebounds on Nov. 10 against Hofstra marked the first time a Princeton player recorded at least 26 points and 15 rebounds since Bob Roma '79 on Dec. 6, 1978
About the Lute Olson Award
The award is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.
Olson is one of just 25 head coaches in NCAA history to win 700 or more games (all divisions) and ranks ninth on the Division I career victories list. He finished with a winning percentage of .731 and is the all-time winningest coach in Arizona history with 587-190 record (.755). He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times.
Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons, and is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons.
In 2002, Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Coach Olson passed away on August 27, 2020.
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 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, AZ, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
About the Lou Henson Award
The Lou Henson award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
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.
Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 2020.
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
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 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, AZ, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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