PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly men’s basketball honors for the week of Feb. 20-26.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
B.J. Taylor · R-So. · G · UCF · Orlando, Fla.
Taylor earns his first career player of the week accolade after lifting UCF to a 2-0 week, averaging 23.0 points per game. In UCF’s two-point win at Temple, Taylor had 19 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 55 seconds to play. On Sunday, Taylor led the Knights to a four-point victory over No. 15 Cincinnati, scoring a season-high 27 points. Taylor’s three-pointer with 33 seconds left helped provide the winning margin as UCF improved to 10-7 in The American.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Martins Igbanu · Fr. · F · Tulsa · Lagos, Nigeria
For the first time this season, Igbanu is collecting rookie of the week honors. The freshman helped Tulsa to a 2-0 week, returning the Golden Hurricane to .500 in The American. Igbanu averaged 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, hitting 53.8-percent of his shots. In Tulsa’s win over USF, Igbanu totaled 14 points to go along with seven boards before a 10-point, eight-rebound effort against East Carolina.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Damyean Dotson · R-Sr. · G · Houston · Houston
Dotson posted 20-plus points in both Houston wins last week, giving him seven such games in his last eight. Dotson opened the week with 25 points in the Cougars’ victory over UConn before a 31-point, nine-rebound performance at Memphis. With three-pointers in both games, Dotson extended his streak with at least one three to 28 games, matching the Houston record.
Shizz Alston, Jr. · So. · G · Temple · Philadelphia
Alston, Jr. fueled Temple’s double overtime win over Tulane, scoring 11 of his 25 points in the second overtime. On the week, Alston, Jr. averaged 20.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while connecting on six three-pointers.
Shake Milton · So. · G · SMU · Owasso, Okla.
In No. 17 SMU’s lone game last week, Milton scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in the first half of a 69-61 victory at UConn, knocking down six three-pointers. Milton added eight rebounds in the win, which was the 11
th straight for SMU and 21
st in the Mustangs’ last 22 games.
Sterling Taplin · So. · G · Tulsa · East Amherst, N.Y.
Taplin averaged 11.5 points, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds in leading Tulsa to a 2-0 week in The American. After posting 10 points and five assists against USF, Taplin handed out a career-high nine helpers to go along with 13 points in a victory over ECU.
Caleb White · Sr. · G · East Carolina · Buckingham, Va.
White became the fifth player in program history to reach 1,500 career points, moving into fourth on the East Carolina career scoring list after averaging 18.5 points per game. The senior led the Pirates in scoring in both games, netting 17 in a win at Tulane and 20 at Tulsa.