DENVER UTEP forward Omar Thomas has been named the Western Athletic Conference mens basketball player of the week for January 10-16.
Thomas, a senior from Philadelphia, Pa. (Panola College), averaged 27.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in a split of two road games last week. At Nevada on Wednesday, Thomas scored 28 points including nine of UTEPs 13 in overtime. He was 9-of-18 from the field and made all nine of his free throw attempts. He also had 10 rebounds to record his fourth double-double of the season. On Saturday, Thomas scored 27 points and was 13-of-16 from the free throw line. He made two free throws with five seconds left to tie the game before Fresno States JaVance Coleman hit a long three-pointer at the buzzer for the win. It is Thomas third career WAC Player of the Week award and first for a Miner player this year.
The other nominations were sophomore guard JaVance Coleman, Fresno State; senior guard Jake Sottos, Hawaii; senior guard Donell Allick, Louisiana Tech; senior forward Kevinn Pinkney, Nevada; and junior guard Bryan Hopkins, SMU.
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