Complete Release in PDF
GRAND CANYON'S BRAUN NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Grand Canyon sophomore guard Joshua Braun has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 4-10. This is his first WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and the second of his career.
The Anthem, Ariz., native averaged 21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds as he led the Antelopes to a 2-0 record on the week and extended their win streak to eight games, their largest winning streak since transitioning to Division I. Braun shot 50 percent from the field and 82.4 percent from the free throw line on the week. In the WAC opener against UT Rio Grande Valley, he hit a career-best six three-pointers on 12 attempts, scoring 20 points to go with four rebounds. In Grand Canyon's first-ever win over defending WAC champion NM State on Saturday night, Braun scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. He went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 12 seconds to seal the victory for the Lopes. Braun currently leads the WAC in free throw percentage (86.4) and three-point field goal percentage (46.5) and ranks second in scoring (15.9). He was also named to the mid-season watch list for the Lou Henson Award, presented annually to the top Mid-Major player in Division I college basketball.
Other nominees included: Aly Ahmed of CSU Bakersfield finished with 24 points and nine rebounds in a road win at Missouri-Kansas City ... Missouri-Kansas City's Martez Harrison averaged 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals as the ‘Roos went 1-1 last week ... Pascal Siakam of NM State averaged 18.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 blocks as the Aggies went 1-1 on the week ... Seattle U's Brendan Westendorf averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals as the Redhawks went 1-1 on the week ... Dan Kimasa of UT Rio Grande Valley averaged 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists over two games last week ... Utah Valley's Jaden Jackson averaged 22.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists and set the school record with nine three-pointers in a win over UTRGV last week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
CSU Bakersfield leads the WAC in scoring defense (65.6), blocks (5.13), assists (16.13), turnover margin (2.06), assist-turnover ratio (1.26) and offensive rebounds (13.06). NM State is tops in field goal percentage defense (40.7), rebounding (41.7), rebounding defense (30.9), rebounding margin (10.8) and defensive rebounds (28.88), while Grand Canyon leads the league in scoring (79.0), scoring margin (10.3) and field goal percentage (47.6). Utah Valley is tops in free throw percentage (70.0), three-point field goal percentage defense (30.3) and three-pointers per game (7.88), while Chicago State leads the WAC in steals (8.59) and Seattle U is tops in three-point field goal percentage (38.9).
Individually, NM State's Pascal Siakam leads the WAC in scoring (23.0), rebounding (11.6), blocked shots (2.0), offensive rebounds (4.0), defensive rebounds (7.65) and minutes per game (35.29). Grand Canyon's DeWayne Russell leads the WAC in assists (5.94) and is tied with Chicago State's Kieran Woods for the lead in steals (1.82). The Lopes' Joshua Braun is tops in free throw percentage (86.4) and three-point field goal percentage (46.5) and teammate Grandy Glaze leads the WAC in field goal percentage (62.7). CSU Bakersfield's Damiyne Durham leads the WAC in three-pointers per game (3.20), while teammate Brent Wrapp is tops in assist-turnover ratio (3.05).
In WAC games only, CSUB leads the league in scoring (83.0), field goal percentage (51.8), rebounding defense (26.0) and assists (21.0), while NMSU is tops in rebounding (42.0), rebounding margin (8.5), blocks (5.0) and offensive rebounds (15.0). Chicago State leads the WAC in scoring defense (66.0), steals (12.0) and turnover margin (5.0), while Utah Valley is tops in three-point field goal percentage defense (27.3), defensive rebounds (28.5) and three-pointers per game (11.0). Grand Canyon leads the league in scoring margin (12.0) and assist-turnover ratio (3.2), Seattle U is tops in field goal percentage defense (37.3) and three-point field goal percentage (43.2), and UMKC leads the WAC in free throw percentage (75.0).
Individually in WAC games, CSUB's Aly Ahmed leads the WAC in scoring (24.0), while Siakam is tops in rebounding (11.5) and offensive rebounds (4.5). Chicago State's Anthony Eaves leads the league in field goal percentage (72.7), while teammate Trayvon Palmer is tops in blocks (3.0). Russell leads the WAC in assists (7.5), Utah Valley's Jaden Jackson is tops in three-point percentage (61.1) and Durham leads the league in three-pointers per game (6.0). Seattle U's William Powell leads the league in defensive rebounds (7.5) and NMSU's Ian Baker is tops in minutes per game (37.5).
BRAUN, SIAKAM NAMED TO LOU HENSON AWARD MID-SEASON WATCH LIST
Two WAC student-athletes - Grand Canyon's Joshua Braun and NM State's Pascal Siakam - are among the 31 players named to the mid-season watch list for the Lou Henson Award, given annually to the top Division I Mid-Major player. The award is named in honor of former NM State coach Lou Henson, who coached 41 years. When he left the game in 2005, he was sixth all-time in career Division I wins with 779. The award is voted on by a 30-member panel, consisting of five current Division I head coaches, five retired head coaches, 10 current athletic directors and/or conference administrators, five members of the national media and five collegeinsider.com staff members.
UVU'S JACKSON BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR THREE-POINTERS
In a win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Jan. 9, Utah Valley senior Jaden Jackson scored a career-high 31 points on a school-record nine three-pointers. Jackson was 11-of-16 (69 percent) from the field and 9-of-12 (75 percent) from beyond the arc. The nine threes broke the previous UVU single-game record of eight and was one shy of tying the WAC record of 10.
GRAND CANYON POSTS LONGEST WIN STREAK AT DIVISION I LEVEL
After opening WAC play 2-0 last week, Grand Canyon extended its win streak to eight games. It is the Lopes' longest winning streak since transitioning to Division I.
SEATTLE U'S CLAIR HAS THREE THREE-POINTERS IN 10 STRAIGHT GAMES
Seattle U junior guard Manroop Clair has a streak of 10 consecutive games with at least three made three-pointers. He currently ranks second in the WAC with 47 three-pointers or 3.13 per game.
NM STATE'S SIAKAM CLIMBING PROGRAM BLOCKS CHART
NM State sophomore Pascal Siakam has 95 career blocks in his 51 career games, ranking eighth on the program career list. He needs three to tie for seventh with Aggie Hall of Famer Johnny Roberson (1986-89). Siakam also has 827 career points and 460 career rebounds.