Long named to Henson preseason watch list

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns forward Shawn Long earned some more preseason men’s basketball accolades when he was one of 30 players named to the 2015 Lou Henson Award preseason Watch List announced Tuesday.
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top Mid-Major player in Division I college basketball.
Long, a 6-11 senior from Morgan City, averaged 16.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season and was named to the Lou Henson All-America team in addition to being named a first-team All-Sun Belt and All-Louisiana selection.
This season, Long has been picked as the preseason Player of the Year by the Sun Belt Conference, with the Ragin’ Cajuns tabbed to claim the league crown.
The three-time All-Sun Belt Conference pick was one of only seven collegians to play for the U.S. men’s basketball team that claimed the bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games.
Long enters his final season in a Ragin’ Cajuns uniform as the NCAA active leader in double-doubles (52) and total rebounds (1,036).
Long is ranked second among active NCAA players in rebound average (10.3) and is seventh in blocked shots (212).
The award is named in honor of Henson, who retired after a spectacular coaching career that lasted 41 years.
When he left the game in 2005, he was sixth all-time in career Division I wins with 779.
He is the winningest coach at both Illinois and New Mexico State, and he is one of only 12 coaches in the history of the game to take two schools to the Final Four.
Louisiana is ranked No. 12 in the CollegeInsider.com preseason Mid Major poll.