CALIFORNIA (Jan. 15) – In recognition of a stellar start to the season, California (PA) sophomore guard
KJ McClurg was featured on the initial Bevo Francis Award Watch List on Monday afternoon.
The Bevo Francis Award is presented annually to the player who had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball, which is comprised of NCAA Division II and III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA. The initial Watch List was released on Monday and featured 100 players with the Watch List being narrowed down to 50 in February and 25 in March. The dates for the naming of the finalists and the eventual winner of the award are still to be determined.
McClurg currently leads the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and ranks sixth in NCAA Division II in scoring at 23.4 points per game. He also paces the league and ranks No. 13 in the country with a .469 three-point percentage (38-of-81), while also shooting at a 56.7 clip (101-of-178) from the field and 84.1 percent (111-of-132) from the free-throw line. McClurg sits third in the nation with 111 free-throws made while also averaging 2.53 three-pointers per game.
A West Virginia native, McClurg ranks third on the team with 5.6 rebounds per game and also averages 2.1 assists per game while playing 37:18 minutes per game, which is eighth-best in NCAA Division II.
McClurg has scored at least 20 points nine times season with five 30-point games, including a career-high 35 points versus Wheeling. He has made at least a trio of three-pointers seven times with a career-high five treys at Mansfield. McClurg has converted at least seven free-throws in 10 games, most recently breaking the single-game school record with 19 free-throws on Saturday at Slippery Rock.
A 6-foot-3 guard, McClurg started all 30 games for the Vulcans last year and averaged 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He previously attended New Hampshire, a NCAA Division I program, for two seasons yet retained all his eligibility by virtue of the COVID shortened 2020-21 campaign before redshirting the following year.
McClurg is one of three PSAC standouts featured on the initial Bevo Francis Award Watch List, as IUP senior Ethan Porterfield and Gannon sophomore Josh Omojafo were also lauded on Monday. McClurg is also one of 15 sophomores highlighted on the initial Watch List, which features 40 players from NCAA Division II programs.
Bevo Francis was a prolific scorer at Rio Grande (Ohio) in the 1952-53 and 1953-54 seasons. He is credited with the three-highest single-game scoring performances in NCAA Division II history, including the all-time record of 113 points in 1954. Francis also scored 72 points against Cal in 1953.
The Vulcans are set to return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 17, when they travel to face Clarion in PSAC West play with tip-off at 7:30 p.m.
