PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league's weekly men's basketball honors for the week of Dec. 26-Jan. 1.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rob Gray · R-Jr. · G · Houston · Forest City, N.C.
Gray collects his second career player of the week accolade after leading Houston to a 2-0 start in conference play with victories at UConn and USF. Averaging 22.5 points and going 19-of-36 from the field, the junior posted a game-high 20 points in the Cougars’ 62-46 victory at UConn. Gray followed up the effort with 25 points against USF.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jarron Cumberland · Fr. · G · Cincinnati · Wilmington, Ohio
Cumberland records his second rookie of the week honor in three weeks after averaging a team-high 12.5 points and shooting 57.1 percent from the field, including a 71.4-percent mark from three-point range. After a key three-pointer in Cincinnati’s conference-opening win at Temple, Cumberland registered a career-high 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting with a trio of three-pointers against Tulane.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Semi Ojeleye · Jr. · F · SMU · Ottawa, Kan.
The junior keyed SMU’s American-opening win at Memphis, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Ojeleye added 12 points and nine boards as SMU opened conference action 2-0.
Matt Williams · R-Sr. · F · UCF · Orlando, Fla.
Williams helped UCF open conference play with two victories, averaging 19.0 points. Knocking down eight three-pointers, Williams moved into third place in the Knights’ record book with 200 career triples.
Markel Crawford · R-Jr. · G · Memphis · Memphis, Tenn.
Crawford led the Tigers to a 70-54 victory over No. 25 South Carolina, scoring a career-best 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For the week, Crawford averaged 20.0 points to go along with 6.0 rebounds.
Sterling Brown · Sr. · G · SMU · Maywood, Ill.
Brown was one of two Mustangs to record a double-double in SMU’s 75-44 victory at East Carolina, notching 13 points and 11 rebounds. With 14 points and nine rebounds at Memphis, Brown helped SMU open conference play with a road victory.
Sterling Taplin · So. · G · Tulsa · East Amherst, N.Y.
Taplin helped lead Tulsa to an overtime victory against UConn, finishing with 13 points and six assists. Among those assists was the half-court pass that enabled the game to be tied with seven seconds left in regulation.