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Tennessee Basketball's Chaz Lanier wins Jerry West Award

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•04/05/25•

GrantRamey

Chaz Lanier
USA TODAY IMAGES/Brianna Paciorka

Chaz Lanier on Saturday won the Jerry West Award, given annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to college basketball’s best shooting guard. Lanier starred for the Vols this season while averaging 18.0 points per game and setting Tennessee’s new single-season 3-point record.

Lanier, a Nashville native who spent one season at Tennessee after transferring from North Florida, averaged his 18.0 points per game while shooting 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line. He made 123 3-pointers in 38 games, breaking the previous record of 118 held by Chris Lofton.

Lanier was named third-team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and The Sporting News. He was also named an All-American by the Wooden Award, was First Team All-SEC and won the SEC’s Newcomer of the Year award.

Lanier broke Tennessee’s single-season 3-point record in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the win over UCLA at Rupp Arena in Lexington.

“It’s just a blessing,” Lanier said after the game. “I want to shout out my teammates as well. They’re always setting good screens and passing the ball on the money for me. So without them I wouldn’t be making the shots.”

“It’s a blessing to be in my position,” Lanier added. “I want to give all the glory to God because without Him I wouldn’t be here.”

Chris Lofton made 118 3-pointers during 2007-08 season

Lanier made a season-high eight 3-pointers — tied for second most in a single game in Tennessee program history — while scoring a season-high 30 points in Tennessee’s win at Texas A&M on February 22.

He made five or more threes in nine games this season, four or more in 14 games and three or more in 22 games. 

Before Lanier, Lofton and Santiago Vescovi were the only two Tennessee players to make 100 or more threes in a season. Vescovi made 102 in 2021-22 while Lofton made 118 in 36 games during the 2007-08 season. 

Lofton also held the second-most and third-most 3-pointers in a single season, with 114 in 30 games during the 2005-06 season and 106 during the 2006-07 season. 

Chaz Lanier had breakout season at North Florida before transferring to Tennessee

Lanier had a breakout senior year at North Florida last season, averaging 19.7 points per game and making 108 threes in 32 games, shooting a career-high 44.0% from the 3-point line.

Lanier entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as one of the best players available last spring and found a perfect fit at Tennessee, with the program’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ motto. 

“When he came in,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said, “he’s a pretty cool, calm guy. I think he meant what he said about he gives all the glory to God. He’s grounded in a way that it’s not about him. 

“He knows he’s part of a good team and he’s willing to do whatever he needs to do to help this team, but he’s just not selfish and in his own way he sets a great example.”

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