DENVER – Utah Valley’s Ben Aird has been named Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week for Dec. 30-Jan. 5.
Aird, a senior center from Bountiful, Utah (Bountiful HS), matched a career high with 26 points in an 82-74 road win at Bakersfield in UVU’s first-ever WAC contest. Aird pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Aird connected on 9-of-15 shots from the field (60.0 percent), 1-of-2 shots from beyond the arc (50.0 percent) and 7-of-9 free throws (78.0 percent). He also recorded one block, one steal and dished out four assists.
Other nominees included: Chicago State senior guard/forward Quinton Pippen scored 18 points in a win at Idaho … Grand Canyon junior guard Jerome Garrison averaged 21.0 points over three games … Idaho senior forward Stephen Madison averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games … Kansas City senior forward Nelson Kirksey averaged 22.5 points in a pair of road wins … New Mexico State senior guard Kevin Aronis scored a career-high 20 points in a win at Grand Canyon … Seattle U junior guard Emerson Murray averaged 15.0 points in two games at home … Texas-Pan American junior guard Shaquille Boga averaged 17.0 points over two games.