IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly men’s basketball honors for the first week of the 2020-21 season.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Marcus Sasser, So., Guard, Houston
Sasser aided the Cougars to a 3-0 start to the season by averaging 17.3 points and shooting 50 percent from 3-point range (12-24). The sophomore guard broke the Fertitta Center record with seven 3-pointers in the season-opening home win over Lamar on Wednesday and recorded a game-high 17 points in the Cougars’ 64-53 win over No. 14/13 Texas Tech on Sunday.
 
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Tramon Mark, Guard, Houston
Mark started off his collegiate career with a strong 22-point, 8-rebound game against Lamar and scored 11 points off the bench in Houston’s win over Texas Tech. In three games last week, the freshman averaged 14.0 points and 4.0 rebounds.
 
HONOR ROLL
Jayden Gardner, Jr., F, East Carolina
The conference’s leading scorer in 2019-20 recorded 10 of his 18 points in the last six minutes in East Carolina’s 66-57 season-opening win over Charlotte.
 
Boogie Ellis, So., G, Memphis
Ellis came off the bench but led the Tigers in scoring with 16.0 points per game in three contests at the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic. Ellis scored 24 and hit six 3-pointers in the Tigers’ 73-56 win over Saint Mary’s.
 
Kendric Davis, Jr., G, SMU
Davis started off the season red hot with a 33-point performance in the Mustangs’ 97-67 season-opening win over Sam Houston State. It was the most points ever by a Mustang in a season opener.
 
Jaylen Forbes, So., G, Tulane
Forbes started off his Green Wave career in style, averaging 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in Tulane’s wins over Lamar and Lipscomb.
 
Brandon Rachal, Sr., G, Tulsa
Rachal averaged 16.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 56.5 percent from the field in a pair of contests for the Golden Hurricane at the Hall of Fame Classic.