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  • Arkansas State F Norchad Omier Added to the Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List

Arkansas State F Norchad Omier Added to the Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List

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Basketball

Among 12 Division I players averaging a double-double this season, Arkansas State men's basketball forward Norchad Omier has been named to the Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List.

The award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.

Omier is among 41 players on the mid-season list and one of only two players from the Sun Belt Conference. Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt and West Coast.

Named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week three times already this season, Omier averages 16.6 points and 10.9 points per game while shooting 68.3 percent from the field and 76.9 percent at the charity stripe. He has 10 double-doubles this season in 15 games played, including five-straight. Through three conference games, he has averaged 23.7 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 73 percent from the field and 89.5 percent at the free throw line.

Among the nation's best, Omier is the NCAA Division I active career leader in rebound average at 11.7 per game. He ranks top-35 nationally in; double-doubles (10 – 4th), field-goal percentage (.683 – 4th), total rebounds (163 – 5th), defensive rebounds per game (7.20 – 13th), offensive rebounds per game (3.67 – 13th), total blocks (35 – 27th) and blocks per game (2.33 – 35th).

This season, Omier has led A-State in scoring seven times and rebounding in all 15 games. He has four 20-point outings and 10 games with double-figure rebounds. He set a career-high with 31 points against Lyon College while just last week set a conference-game best with 29 points at Louisiana.

Omier has 25 career double-doubles in 37 games played and those 25 double-doubles are second-most nationally since the start of the 2020-21 season. He has 29 double-figure rebound games in the same span, also second-most nationally.

A-State is scheduled to return to action Thursday, Jan. 20 against UT Arlington at First National Bank Arena. The game and all remaining games will air on ESPN+ and the radio broadcast can be heard on the EAB Red Wolves Sports Network and flagship station 107.9 KFIN.