Small College Basketball – Bevo Francis Award
SEWARD, Neb. – Previously named to the 100-player watch list, Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball star Tristan Smith made the cut and was included on the Bevo Francis Award Watch List of 50 players released by Small College Basketball on Feb. 15. Other GPAC players included on the 50-player watch list are Lucas Lorenzen of Dordt, Joey Skoff of Morningside and Alex Van Kalsbeek of Northwestern.
The Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball (outside of the NCAA Division I level). Considerations are season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements. The Bevo Francis Award Watch List will be trimmed to 25 players on March 15, finalists will be announced on April 5 and the winner will be unveiled on April 7.
A frontrunner for GPAC Player of the Year honors, Smith continues to pace the GPAC in field goal percentage (.702). Among league players, he also ranks second in blocks (1.6), fourth in rebounds (7.8), sixth in scoring (20.3), sixth in assists (4.0) and eighth in steals (1.7). In 105 career games as a Bulldog, Smith has compiled 1,429 points, 676 rebounds, 212 assists, 122 blocks and 106 steals. On the program’s all-time lists, Smith ranks fifth in blocks, 11th in rebounds, 12th in scoring and 21st in assists. Smith has been named a GPAC Player of the Week four times this season.
Smith and the 12th-ranked Bulldogs (21-5, 14-4 GPAC) will polish off the regular season this week as they host Doane on Wednesday and then travel to Mount Marty on Saturday. Concordia currently sits in a tie for second place in the GPAC standings.