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UTAH VALLEY'S NEILSON NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley redshirt junior forward Isaac Neilson has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 21-27. This is his first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Mission Viejo, Calif., native averaged 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game last week and led Utah Valley to a 2-0 record with a come-from-behind road win at Denver and the team's first-ever win over Brigham Young. Neilson shot a blistering 80.0 percent (12-of-15) from the field, went a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and knocked down 5-of-7 free throws (71.4 percent). He opened the week by pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds, scoring five points and blocking two shots to help UVU erase a 27-point deficit, the largest in school history, to defeat Denver 88-85 in the Mile High City last Wednesday. In a historic 114-101 win at BYU, Neilson scored a career-high 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots, dished out one assist and nabbed one steal against his former team as the Wolverines scored the most points ever at the Marriott Center (114).
Other nominees included: Jaylin Airington of CSU Bakersfield averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists as the Roadrunners went 2-2 last week ... Chicago State's Trayvon Palmer averaged 24.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals as the Cougars went 1-1 last week ... DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon finished with 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal in a rout of Coppin State ... UMKC's LaVell Boyd averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists as the Roos went 1-1 on the week ... Jemerrio Jones of NM State averaged 19.0 points on 68 percent shooting, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals as the Aggies went 2-0 on the week ... Seattle U's Brendan Westendorf averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals as the Redhawks went 0-2 on the week ... Lew Stallworth of UT Rio Grande Valley averaged 17.7 points, 6.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game as the Vaqueros went 2-1 last week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
NM State leads the WAC in scoring defense (62.0), scoring margin (10.7), field goal percentage defense (38.2), three-point field goal percentage defense (26.9), blocks (4.7) and offensive rebounds (13.6). Utah Valley leads the league in scoring (87.8), rebounding (39.8), turnover margin (3.6), defensive rebounds (29.8) and three-pointers per game (11.4), while CSU Bakersfield is tops in rebounding defense (31.0), rebounding margin (5.0) and steals (9.7). Chicago State leads the WAC in assists (16.0) and assist-turnover ratio (1.18), while UMKC is tops in field goal percentage (46.9) and three-point field goal percentage (43.3). Seattle U leads the league in free throw percentage (80.0).
Individually, UMKC's LaVell Boyd leads the WAC in scoring (19.1), while Utah Valley's Isaac Neilson is tops in rebounding (9.6), field goal percentage (62.5), blocked shots (1.8), offensive rebounds (3.6) and defensive rebounds (6.0). Utah Valley' Brandon Randolph leads the league in assists (5.4) and assist-turnover ratio (1.93), while teammate Kenneth Ogbe leads the WAC in three-point percentage (63.6). Seattle U's Brendan Westendorf is tops in free throw percentage (1.000) and minutes per game (34.33), while Grand Canyon's Gerard Martin leads the WAC in steals (2.5) and UT Rio Grande Valley's Antonio Green leads the league in three-pointers per game (4.29).
UVU COMPLETES LARGEST COMEBACK IN PROGRAM HISTORY
On Nov. 23 at Denver, Utah Valley overcame a 27-point deficit, as the Wolverines trailed 54-27 with 51 second left in the first half, to defeat the Pioneers 88-85 for the largest comeback in school history. Denver shot a blistering 72.4 percent from the field and 72.7 percent from three-point range in the first half.
UTRGV'S GREEN TIES WAC RECORD FOR THREE-POINTERS IN A GAME
In an overtime win against Grambling State on Nov. 25, UT Rio Grande Valley sophomore Antonio Green drained a program record 10 three-pointers, tying the WAC single-game record. Green attempted all of his shots from behind the arc, going 10-for-14 for a career-high 30 points. As a team, UTRGV finished with a program-record-tying 17 three-pointers in the game.
UVU SCORES MOST POINTS EVER AT BYU'S MARRIOTT CENTER
When Utah Valley defeated crosstown rival BYU 114-101 at the Marriott Center on Nov. 26, the Wolverines' 114 points were the most ever scored against BYU at the Marriott Center. In addition, Utah Valley drained 18 three-pointers in the game, both a school record and a Marriott Center record.
CHICAGO STATE'S PALMER SCORES 34 POINTS, GRABS 15 REBOUNDS AGAINST EAST-WEST
Chicago State senior Trayvon Palmer recorded a career-high 34 points and grabbed a season-best 15 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards, on Nov. 22 against NAIA school East-West. The last time a Cougar had 30 or more points and 15 or more rebounds in a game was Feb. 3, 2011, when Carl Montgomery finished with 35 points and grabbed 16 rebounds at Houston Baptist.
UTAH VALLEY'S RANDOLPH SETS PROGRAM ASSISTS RECORD
On Nov. 26 at Brigham Young, Utah Valley junior guard Brandon Randolph set the program single-game record for assists with 14. The previous record of 12 was set by Nick Thompson in the 2012-13 season.
GRAND CANYON HOLDS COPPIN STATE TO 37 POINTS
On Nov. 25, Grand Canyon defeated Coppin State 70-37. It was the first time the Lopes have held a Division I opponent under 40 points, just the seventh time this season a team has held a Division I opponent under 40 points and the third-lowest opponent scoring output in the country this season.
SEATTLE U'S WESTENDORF ONE OF SIX PLAYERS NATIONALLY STILL PERFECT AT THE LINE
Seattle U senior Brendan Westendorf went a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe last week to remain one of six players nationally (through Nov. 28) to remain perfect at the free throw line. As a team, the Redhawks lead the WAC with an 80 percent free throw percentage.