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GRAND CANYON'S VERNON NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Grand Canyon sophomore forward Keonta Vernon has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 14-20. This is his first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Tulare, Calif., native averaged 15.5 points on 56.5 percent shooting, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals as the Antelopes went 2-0 on the week. In a win over Delaware State last Tuesday, Vernon got his first start of the season and finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, all career highs, in only 20 minutes of action. He followed it up with another double-double leading all players with 16 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs again, in a road win at San Diego State. It was arguably the best win in program history, as the Lopes handed the Aztecs just their ninth loss in their last 107 home games.
Other nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Aly Ahmed averaged 14.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.0 assists as the Roadrunners went 2-1 on the week ... Clemmye Owens V of Chicago State averaged 15.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists as the Cougars went 1-1 on the week ... Missouri-Kansas City's LaVell Boyd finished with 14 points and four rebounds in a win over Rockhurst ... Ian Baker of NM State averaged 15.0 points on 68.8 percent shooting, 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds as the Aggies went 1-1 on the week ... Seattle U's Manroop Clair finished with 15 points on five three-pointers against San José State ... Marcel Davis of Utah Valley finished with 19 points on 66.7 percent shooting, five rebounds and five assists in a win at UTSA.
WAC STAT LEADERS
CSU Bakersfield leads the WAC in blocks (5.09), steals (8.55), turnover margin (3.27) and assist-turnover ratio (1.17), while Grand Canyon is tops in scoring (78.0), scoring margin (9.6), field goal percentage (46.8) and offensive rebounds (13.36). NM State leads the WAC in rebounding (43.5), rebounding defense (30.9), rebounding margin (12.6) and defensive rebounds (30.36), while Seattle U is tops in scoring defense (63.5), field goal percentage defense (39.2), three-point field goal percentage (37.9) and assists (15.45). Utah Valley leads the league in free throw percentage (70.5), three-point field goal percentage defense (30.2) and three-pointers per game (7.82).
Individually, NM State's Pascal Siakam leads the WAC in scoring (22.5), rebounding (12.2), blocked shots (2.0), defensive rebounds (8.0) and minutes per game (35.36). Grand Canyon's Grandy Glaze is tops in field goal percentage (60.4), teammate DeWayne Russell leads the WAC in assists (5.91) and steals (2.18), and Joshua Braun is tops in free throw percentage (87.9). CSU Bakersfield's Damiyne Durham leads the WAC in three-pointers per game (3.6), while teammates Brent Wrapp and Kevin Mays are tops in assist-turnover ratio (3.43) and offensive rebounds (4.27), respectively. Missouri-Kansas City's LaVell Boyd leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (45.7).
SEATTLE U POSTS LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY IN DIVISION I ERA
With a convincing 98-36 victory over Northwest Indian College on Dec. 17, Seattle U secured its largest margin of victory as a Division I program. The 62-point margin of victory was the second largest in program history.
NM STATE FAILS TO SCORE A THREE-POINTER FOR FIRST TIME IN 14 YEARS
NM State did not score a three-point field goal at New Mexico on Dec. 16, going 0-for-7 from beyond the arc. It was the first time in 14 years, to the day, the Aggies had not scored a long ball, as the last time NM State went without a three-pointer was Dec. 16, 2001, when they went 0-for-8 at The Pit against New Mexico. NM State followed it up with a season-best 11 three-pointers at UTEP, where it hit a season-best 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from long range.
UTRGV'S ROZANSKI BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING
UT Rio Grande Valley recently hired Basketball Operations Coordinator Cassie Rozanski is one of just seven women on NCAA Division I men's basketball staffs, along with fellow basketball operations professionals Janna Eichelberger (Tennessee State), Mary-Carter Kniffen (Tennessee), Justine Miller (Mount St. Mary's), Katherine Vosters (Wisconsin) and Kreigh Warkentien (UNLV) and Director of Player Development Shannon Hodge (Rider). Rozanski and her husband, first year assistant coach Marc Rozanski, make up the only husband-wife duo on an NCAA Division I men's basketball coaching staff.
CSUB SETS PROGRAM DIVISION I RECORD FOR BLOCKS TWICE
In a 72-55 win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 5 and again in a 69-62 win over Dartmouth on Dec. 14, CSU Bakersfield blocked nine shots, a program Division I record. In the win over the Lumberjacks, Justin Hollins had five blocks, one shy of CSUB's all-time single-game record.