Courtesy of Coppin State Athletic Communications
BOSTON, Mass. – Coppin State's Anthony Tarke has been named to the Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List, it was announced by the award's committee on Tuesday afternoon. The award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I mid-major player.
A redshirt senior guard from Gaithersburg, Md., Tarke was one of 40 players named to the Midseason Watch List and is the only player from the MEAC to earn the distinction. The recipient of the 2020-21 award will be announced in April.
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Tarke has put together one of the best all-around seasons in the Country, averaging 15.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor. A six-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, Tarke leads the MEAC in total points, rebounds, field goals made, free throw attempts, double-doubles, steals and blocks. Tarke ranks third in NCAA Division I in total steals and steals per game.
Opening the season on November 28 at Duke, Tarke put the Nation on notice as he recorded 22 points and nine rebounds while adding three assists, two blocks and five steals. Two weeks later, Tarke put together a historic all-around game in a win over UNC Greensboro, tallying a career-high 34 points on 11-of-13 shooting and 10-of-15 from the free throw line. In the victory, Tarke also had eight assists, four blocks and four steals.
The award is named after Lou Henson who 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 and won 775 games in 41 total seasons.
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, West Coast.
Tarke and the Eagles (6-9), who currently lead the MEAC North with a 5-1 mark in league play, host crosstown rival Morgan State on January 30-31. Both games are slated to tipoff at approximately 3 pm with Saturday's game being televised on FloHoops.