DENVER - Seattle U senior guard Isiah Umipig has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4. This is his first WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and the third of his career.
The Federal Way, Wash., native averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game over two games last week. Umipig scored the most points of any Seattle U player in a single game this season last Tuesday against UC Davis, finishing with 33 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-15 from beyond the arc, as the Redhawks defeated the Aggies, 76-67. He also added six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Umipig scored 13 points during a Seattle U 18-4 run in the first half that gave the Redhawks a 12-point lead. He again keyed a significant Redhawk scoring run in the second half, scoring 12 points during a 15-4 Seattle U run that extended the Redhawk advantage to 63-45. After being held scoreless in the first half last Saturday at Cal State Fullerton, Umipig scored 11 points after halftime, hitting three three-pointers along the way. He has scored in double digits in all 14 games this season and extended his streak of double-digit scoring to 16 games dating back to last season.
Other nominees included: Bakersfield's Dashawn Richmond averaged 21.5 points on 57 percent shooting to go along with 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals as the Roadrunners went 1-1 on the week ... DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists as the Antelopes went 1-1 on the week ... New Mexico State's Ian Baker hit a pair of game-winning shots and averaged 10.5 points, while shooting 70.0 percent from the floor, 75.0 percent from three-point range and 80.0 from the foul line, with 1.5 steals per game ... Janari Joesaar of Texas-Pan American averaged 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a pair of losses last week.