HOUSTON – University of Houston senior guard Rob Gray was honored Tuesday as one of 10 finalists for the Jerry West Award, presented annually to the nation’s top shooting guard.
 
In March, five finalists will be presented to Jerry West and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
 
The winner of the 2018 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show, presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles on April 6. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
 
In October, Gray was one of 20 candidates selected by a national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel for the award’s Watch List. Throughout the 2017-18 season, Gray established himself as one of the American Athletic Conference’s and the nation’s premier players.
 
This season, Gray ranks second in the league with 18.3 points per game and ranks among the league’s top-seven leaders in assists (4.2, 5^th), free throw percentage (82.1, 7^th) and assist-turnover ratio (2.0, 4^th). He is one of only two players to stand among The American’s top-two leaders in both scoring and assists.
 
He has scored at least 20 points in 11 games this season, including a career-high 37 points against Drexel, in the Paradise Jam on Nov. 17.
 
In addition to his scoring, Gray leads the Cougars with 4.2 assists per game and has dished out at least five assists in each of the last seven games.
 
Gray also has established himself in the Houston records book. The Forest City, N.C., native ranks 15^th in Houston history with 1,440 career points and was the 12^th fastest player in school history to reach that milestone.
 
Off the court, Gray received his bachelor’s degree in sociology.
 
He was joined by Allonzo Trier (Arizona), Chandler Hutchison (Boise State), Marcus Foster (Creighton), Grayson Allen (Duke), Kendrick Nunn (Oakland), Carsen Edwards (Purdue), E.C. Matthews (Rhode Island), Tyus Battle (Syracuse) and Fletcher Magee (Wofford).