On Thursday, Villanova forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was named a finalist for the Karl Malone Award, given to the nation's top power forward. Robinson-Earl joins teammate Collin Gillespie, who was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award earlier this week, as Wildcats gaining national recognition for the efforts this season.

Joining Robinson-Earl on the finalists list are Gonzaga's Drew Timme, Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis, Pittsburgh's Justin Champagnie, and Seton Hall's Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Robinson-Earl is averaging 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals this season. He has posted three double-doubles and is invaluable to Villanova's defense.

The Karl Malone Award, along with the Bob Cousy Award, the Jerry West Award, the Julius Erving Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, will be presented on ESPN. A date and time are yet to be released.

The winners will be determined by a combination of fan votes and input from a selection committee. Fan voting opens February 26 at hoophallawards.com.