DENVER – Denver’s Brett Olson has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 14-20.
Olson, a sophomore guard from Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Highlands Ranch HS), led Denver to a weekend sweep over San Jose State and Utah State, the Pioneers’ sixth and seventh-straight wins. In the 73-37 win over San Jose State, Olson scored 15 points on 6-of-8 (75 percent) shooting from the field, including a 3-of-4 mark from long range. In the 68-57 win against Utah State, Olson scored a season-high 18 points on 7-of-8 (53.8 percent) shooting from the floor and a 4-of-8 clip from the three-point line.
On the week, Olson averaged 16.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.5 steals per game. He shot 61.9 percent (13-of-21) from the field and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from three-point range. Olson did not commit a single turnover last week.
Other nominees included: Idaho senior center Kyle Barone averaged 16.5 points and 12.5 rebounds over two games … Louisiana Tech freshman guard Kenneth Smith scored 22 points with eight assists against Idaho … New Mexico State senior forward Bandja Sy averaged 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of wins … Seattle U junior forward Clarence Trent averaged 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds last week ... Texas State junior forward Corey Stern scored 18 points with 13 rebounds in an overtime win against UTSA … UTSA senior guard Michael Hale III scored a career-high 31 points and nine rebounds against Texas State … Utah State junior forward Marvin Jean scored a career-high 14 points at Denver.