TicketSmarter WAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week Announced
DENVER – NM State's Jabari Rice has been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 6 through Jan. 12.
Rice, a sophomore guard from Houston, was crucial in the Aggies' remaining perfect in 2020, averaging 13.5 points per game with 6.5 rebounds per game, 3.5 assists per game and 2.5 steals per game. On Thursday against Chicago State, he finished with 14 points in 23 minutes played, adding three rebounds and two steals. He stepped up his game on Saturday, scoring 13 points with 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals in 33 minutes played. On the season, Rice is averaging 12.4 points per game with a .504 shooting clip.
Other nominees included: California Baptist's Brandon Boyd led the Lancers to a road sweep, finishing with 19.5 points per game in wins at CSU Bakersfield and Grand Canyon … CSU Bakersfield's De'Monte Buckingham scored 23 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 on free throws, in a home loss to California Baptist … Chicago State's Xavier Johnson averaged 13.0 points per game and 3.5 assists per game in a pair of road losses at NM State and UT Rio Grande Valley … Grand Canyon's Carlos Johnson put up 18 points with eight rebounds and two blocks in a four-point loss to California Baptist … Kansas City's Jahshire Hardnett averaged 15.0 points per game in a pair of tight road losses at UT Rio Grande Valley and NM State … Seattle U's Riley Grigsby scored a game-high 17 points to go with eight rebounds and two steals in a blowout 83-50 win over Utah Valley … UT Rio Grande Valley's Jordan Jackson used poster-quality dunks to lead the Vaqueros to a pair of home wins against Kansas City and Chicago State, averaging 17.5 ppg in the two victories.