NEW MEXICO STATE’S SIAKAM NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
New Mexico State freshman forward Pascal Siakam has been named Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 19-25. This is his first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Doula, Cameroon, native averaged a double-double as he directed the Aggies to a pair of wins last week to take sole possession of first place in the WAC standings. Last Thursday, Siakam led NM State with his fifth double-double of the season, netting 18 points and 11 rebounds with two blocks in handing Grand Canyon its first WAC loss (85-63) of the season. He then just missed consecutive double-doubles as he scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds, including seven on the offensive side, to go along with two blocks and two assists as the Aggies knocked off defending WAC regular-season champion Utah Valley, 69-44. The WAC’s leader in field goal percentage and blocked shots, Siakam averaged 13.5 points on 54.5 percent shooting, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 assists on the week.
Other nominees included: Bakersfield’s Tyrell Corbin averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists as the Roadrunners went 1-1 on the week ... Joshua Braun of Grand Canyon averaged 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks on the week ... Missouri-Kansas City’s Martez Harrison averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals as the ‘Roos went 2-0 on the week ... Isiah Umipig of Seattle U averaged 25.0 points and 2.0 rebounds as the Redhawks went 1-1 on the week ... Texas-Pan American’s Janari Joesaar averaged 22.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals as the Broncs went 1-1 last week ... Donte Williams of Utah Valley averaged with 20.0 points and 3.5 rebounds as the Wolverines went 1-1 on the week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
New Mexico State leads the WAC in scoring (69.3), scoring margin (7.0), field goal percentage (45.7), three-point field goal percentage defense (29.8), rebounding (36.4), rebounding defense (29.9), rebounding margin (6.5) and offensive rebounds (13.36). Seattle U is tops in three-point field goal percentage (39.8), assists (14.89), assist-turnover ratio (1.10), defensive rebounds (25.0) and three-pointers per game (7.79), while Bakersfield leads the league in scoring defense (61.0), free throw percentage (73.2) and field goal percentage defense (39.8). Missouri-Kansas City leads the WAC in steals (8.67) and turnover margin (2.24) and Texas-Pan American leads the league in blocks (3.71).
Individually, UTPA’s Janari Joesaar leads the WAC in scoring (18.6), defensive rebounds (5.0) and minutes per game (34.43), while New Mexico State’s Pascal Siakam is tops in field goal percentage (55.2), blocks (1.95) and offensive rebounds (3.59). Kevin Mays of Bakersfield leads the league in rebounding (8.0), Marcel Davis of Utah Valley is tops in assists (3.72) and teammate Donte Williams leads the WAC in free throw percentage (81.4). UMKC’s Martez Harrison leads the league in steals (2.0), Remi Barry of New Mexico State is tops in three-point percentage (50.9), Seattle U’s Isiah Umipig leads the WAC in three-pointers per game (4.11) and Grand Canyon’s DeWayne Russell is tops in assist-turnover ratio (1.69).
In WAC games only, New Mexico State leads the league in scoring defense (52.8), scoring margin (15.0), field goal percentage defense (39.5), three-point field goal percentage defense (27.9), rebounding (37.0), rebounding defense (26.4) and rebounding margin (10.6) and defensive rebounds (24.4). Grand Canyon is tops in scoring (72.8), assists (15.75), assist-turnover ratio (1.66) and three-pointers per game (8.25), while Chicago State leads the league in blocks (4.25) and offensive rebounds (15.0), and is tied with Bakersfield, UMKC and UTPA in steals (6.0). Seattle U is tops in field goal percentage (46.8) and three-point field goal percentage (38.8), while Utah Valley leads the WAC in free throw percentage (78.9) and UMKC is tops in turnover margin (4.25).
Individually in WAC games, Grand Canyon’s Russell is tops in scoring (20.3), assists (5.5), three-point percentage (57.1) and assist-turnover ratio (7.33), and is tied with Joesaar in minutes per game (37.0). Siakam leads the WAC in rebounding (9.6) and offensive rebounds (4.6), while Chicago State’s Trayvon Palmer is tops in defensive rebounds (5.5). New Mexico State’s Tshilidzi Nephawe and Seattle U’s Jack Crook are tied for the lead in field goal percentage (66.7), while Utah Valley’s Mitch Bruneel leads the WAC in free throw percentage (100.0). UTPA’s Shaquille Boga, Bakersfield’s Javonte Maynor and Seattle U’s Emerson Murray are all tied for the lead in steals (1.8), while Umipig leads the league in three-pointers per game (3.6) and UTPA’s Dan Kimasa is tops in blocks (2.2).
MULLINGS MOVES INTO EIGHTH PLACE IN NM STATE CAREER SCORING
New Mexico State senior Daniel Mullings moved into eighth place on the NM State career scoring list on Jan. 24 against Utah Valley. He has 1,539 career points, one shy of seventh place, two shy of sixth and 323 away from the record of 1,862 held by Eric Channing (1998-02).
UTPA’S JOESAAR POSTS 10TH 20-POINT GAME
Texas-Pan American sophomore Janari Joesaar posted his 10th game this season with 20 or more points against Utah Valley on Jan. 22, finishing with 29. He has more 20-point games than last year’s leader, Javorn Farrell, did (eight) with a minimum of 10 games remaining this season.
BAKERSFIELD’S MAYS HAS SEVEN GAMES WITH 10 OR MORE REBOUNDS
With his 12 rebounds against Chicago State on Jan. 24, Bakersfield’s Kevin Mays now has seven games with 10 or more rebounds this season, making him the only player in the conference to do so. He is currently the WAC leader in rebounding, averaging 8.0 boards per game.
UMKC’S HARRISON EXTENDS DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK TO 39 GAMES
Missouri-Kansas City sophomore guard Martez Harrison has reached double-digit scoring in all 21 games this season to extend his streak to 39 consecutive games, good for second place all-time at UMKC. He also has 17 career games with 20 or more points, including eight this season.
SEATTLE U’S UMIPIG CLIMBING CAREER THREE-POINTERS CHART
In just his second season with the program, Seattle U’s Isiah Umipig currently ranks second all-time on the Seattle U career three-pointers list with 184, 55 shy of the record. The senior currently ranks second in the nation in three-pointers per game (4.11) and third in three-pointers made (78).
CSUB’S MAYNOR CLIMBING CAREER THREE-POINTERS MADE CHART
In his third season at Bakersfield, senior Javonte Maynor has 187 career three-pointers, good for second place all-time. He trails only Kenny Warren, who hit 278 three-pointers from 1990-94.
NEW MEXICO STATE WINS 24TH STRAIGHT WAC GAME AT HOME
After defeating Grand Canyon and Utah Valley last week, New Mexico State has now won 24 straight WAC games at the Pan American Center, dating back to Jan. 26, 2012. The Aggies are also 47-4 in their last 51 games at the Pan American Center and have had three home winning streaks of 11 games or more since the 2011-12 season.