Decker Jr. and Cleveland Tabbed to Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List
12/19/2025 6:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty's Brett Decker Jr. and Zach Cleveland have both been named to the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List, announced by CollegeInsider.com.
The Lou Henson Award is given annually to the most outstanding mid-major men's college basketball player in NCAA Division I competition.
Liberty is the only school in the nation with two players on the 50-member watch list. Decker Jr. and Cleveland are two of only six CUSA players on the listing. The other CUSA players on the watch list include Kennesaw State's Simeon Cottle, New Mexico State's Jemel Jones, Western Kentucky's Teagan Moore and FIU's Corey Stephenson. This is the second straight year Cleveland has been selected to the Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List. Last year, he also was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award.
Decker Jr., a sophomore guard, is off to a strong start to his season. Decker Jr. is the team's leading scorer at 18.1 points per game and leads the nation in three-pointers per game (4.20) and three-point percentage (55.3). The Elizabethtown, Ky. native also ranks sixth in the country in total three-pointers with 42 and has made five or more triples in six games.
Decker Jr. is the only Flame to score in double figures in all 10 games and has five 20-plus point efforts. The guard is also averaging 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 30 minutes per game.
Cleveland, a senior forward, is nearly averaging a triple-double (9.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 8.0 apg) in nine appearances so far this season. The Bloomington, Ill. native ranks third nationally in assists per game (8.0) and has seven or more assists in seven contests. The senior notched a career-best 13 assists in a win over Coppin State, Dec. 6.
Cleveland was named Conference USA Player of the Week on Nov. 10, averaging 11.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 7.7 rpg, 2.0 spg and 1.3 bpg with three double-double in three wins. He is tied for first in CUSA in double-doubles (3) this year.
The Lou Henson Award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach, who won 775 games in 41 seasons. Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 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 2026 award winner will be announced in Indianapolis, Ind., site of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
Decker Jr., Cleveland and Liberty (7-3) will play their final non-conference game on Saturday afternoon at Dayton (9-3). Game time is 12:30 p.m. and will air live on USA Network.
The Lou Henson Award is given annually to the most outstanding mid-major men's college basketball player in NCAA Division I competition.
Liberty is the only school in the nation with two players on the 50-member watch list. Decker Jr. and Cleveland are two of only six CUSA players on the listing. The other CUSA players on the watch list include Kennesaw State's Simeon Cottle, New Mexico State's Jemel Jones, Western Kentucky's Teagan Moore and FIU's Corey Stephenson. This is the second straight year Cleveland has been selected to the Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List. Last year, he also was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award.
Decker Jr., a sophomore guard, is off to a strong start to his season. Decker Jr. is the team's leading scorer at 18.1 points per game and leads the nation in three-pointers per game (4.20) and three-point percentage (55.3). The Elizabethtown, Ky. native also ranks sixth in the country in total three-pointers with 42 and has made five or more triples in six games.
Decker Jr. is the only Flame to score in double figures in all 10 games and has five 20-plus point efforts. The guard is also averaging 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 30 minutes per game.
Cleveland, a senior forward, is nearly averaging a triple-double (9.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 8.0 apg) in nine appearances so far this season. The Bloomington, Ill. native ranks third nationally in assists per game (8.0) and has seven or more assists in seven contests. The senior notched a career-best 13 assists in a win over Coppin State, Dec. 6.
Cleveland was named Conference USA Player of the Week on Nov. 10, averaging 11.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 7.7 rpg, 2.0 spg and 1.3 bpg with three double-double in three wins. He is tied for first in CUSA in double-doubles (3) this year.
The Lou Henson Award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach, who won 775 games in 41 seasons. Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 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 2026 award winner will be announced in Indianapolis, Ind., site of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
Decker Jr., Cleveland and Liberty (7-3) will play their final non-conference game on Saturday afternoon at Dayton (9-3). Game time is 12:30 p.m. and will air live on USA Network.
Early season recognition for BD & ZC!???? pic.twitter.com/wmeHulmyhf
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) December 19, 2025
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