BOSTON (SMU) – Senior guard
Boopie Miller was named to the
Lute Olson Award Early Season National Player of the Year Watch List by CollegeInsider.com on Thursday. Miller, who was selected preseason All-ACC second team, is one of just 30 players on the watch list.
Miller is averaging 20.2 points (4th ACC, 32nd NCAA), 6.5 assists (3rd ACC, 13th NCAA), 2.2 steals (4
th ACC, 44
th NCAA) and 3.8 rebounds with a 2.40 assist-to-turnover ratio (13
th ACC). He is shooting 45.6% overall, 42.0% on threes and 91.7% on free throws (1st ACC, 23rd NCAA). He is 77-of-84 on free throws, leading the ACC in makes (9
th NCAA) and third in the ACC in attempts (26
th NCAA). He has three double-doubles this season (9th ACC, 64th NCAA) of points and assists while leading a Mustang offense that is one of just 22 teams nationally to have five players averaging double figures in scoring.
The Mustangs are 9-2 overall in the second year under head coach
Andy Enfield. SMU is receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll and ranked No. 43 in the NCAA NET. The 7-0 home record includes an 87-85 victory over Butler on Nov. 15 when Miller had 23 points and 12 assists. Miller had a season-high 28 points with nine rebounds in the 87-81 overtime win at Mississippi State on Nov. 28.
LUTE OLSON AWARD EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST
| Darius Acuff Jr. |
6-3 |
Fr. |
Arkansas |
| Christian Anderson |
6-2 |
So. |
Texas Tech |
| Chad Baker-Mazara |
6-7 |
Sr. |
USC |
| Cameron Boozer |
6-9 |
Fr. |
Duke |
| Jaden Bradley |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Arizona |
| Ryan Conwell |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Louisville |
| AJ Dybantsa |
6-9 |
Fr. |
BYU |
| Zuby Ejiofor |
6-9 |
Sr. |
St. John's |
| Jeremy Fears Jr. |
6-2 |
So. |
Michigan State |
| Ja'Kobi Gillespie |
6-1 |
Sr. |
Tennessee |
| Graham Ike |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Gonzaga |
| PJ Haggerty |
6-4 |
Jr. |
Kansas State |
| Keyshawn Hall |
6-7 |
Sr. |
Auburn |
| Joshua Jefferson |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Iowa State |
| Trey Kaufman-Renn |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Purdue |
| Yaxel Lendeborg |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Michigan |
| Tamin Lipsey |
6-1 |
Sr. |
Iowa State |
| Nick Martinelli |
6-7 |
Sr. |
Northwestern |
| Duke Miles |
6-2 |
Sr. |
Vanderbilt |
| Boopie Miller |
6-0 |
Sr. |
SMU |
| Koa Peat |
6-8 |
Fr. |
Arizona |
| Darryn Peterson |
6-6 |
Fr. |
Kansas |
| Labaron Philon, Jr. |
6-4 |
So. |
Alabama |
| Emanuel Sharp |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Houston |
| Braden Smith |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Purdue |
| Hannes Steinbach |
6-11 |
Fr. |
Washington |
| Darrion Williams |
6-6 |
Sr. |
NC State |
| Bruce Thornton |
6-2 |
Sr. |
Ohio State |
| JT Toppin |
6-9 |
Jr. |
Texas Tech |
| Caleb Wilson |
6-10 |
Fr. |
North Carolina |
ABOUT THE LUTE OLSON AWARD:
The award is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.
Olson is one of just 25 head coaches in NCAA history to win 700 or more games (all divisions) and ranks ninth on the Division I career victories list. He finished with a winning percentage of .731 and is the all-time winningest coach in Arizona history with 587-190 record (.755). He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times.
Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons and is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons.
In 2002, Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Olson passed away on August 27, 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 will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
