Hawai‘i men's basketball coach Benjy Taylor earned the Hugh Durham Award mid-season coaching honor, given to the nation's top mid-major coach.

The award is named in honor of Hugh Durham, who retired at the end of the 2004-05 season.  Durham is one of just 12 coaches to have led two different programs to the NCAA Final Four (Florida State in 1972 and Georgia in 1983).  He is the only coach among that group to have led both schools to their lone Final Four appearance.

The Rainbow Warriors completed the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 12-4 record.  The 12 non-conference wins represents the most in program history, and the most of any Big West team this season.  Included among those wins are three against BCS programs, as UH defeated Pittsburgh (ACC), Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12).  Taylor took over the head coaching reins in October.

Picked to finish fifth in the Big West preseason media poll, Hawai‘i begins conference play at home this Wednesday against Cal Poly.

The recipient of the 2015 Durham Award will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Banquet on April 3 in Indianapolis, site of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.