WAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week Announced
DENVER – Kansas City's Jahshire Hardnett has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Dec. 30 through Jan. 5.
Hardnett, a senior guard from Gulfport, Miss., was crucial to the Roos opening up conference play with a pair of wins over Seattle U and Utah Valley. Against the Redhawks, he scored 18 of his career-high 28 points in overtime as Kansas City outlasted Seattle U, 90-86, in three overtimes. In addition to the 28 points, he added five rebounds and four assists as the Roos earned their first win of 2020. Against Utah Valley, he had some late game heroics ready as well, hitting a three-pointer with 35.8 seconds left to put the Roos up for good in a 68-63. He finished with 17 points against the Wolverines to average 22.5 points per game on the week.
Other nominees included: California Baptist's Milan Acquaah led the Lancers with 21.5 points per game as CBU beat UT Rio Grande Valley before falling to NM State to open league play at 1-1 … CSU Bakersfield guard De'Monte Buckingham led the 'Runners to a WAC-opening win over Grand Canyon, scoring 25 points in a 69-62 victory at home over the Lopes … Chicago State's Xavier Johnson scored 20 points against Utah Valley and 18 points against Seattle U to lead the Cougars on the opening weekend of WAC play … Grand Canyon guard Carlos Johnson was the Lopes' leading scorer with 17 points in a close loss on the road at CSU Bakersfield … NM State's Ivan Aurrecoechea scored a season-high 20 points with eight rebounds in a WAC-opening win at California Baptist … Seattle U's Terrell Brown averaged 17.0 points with 8.5 rebounds per game and 5.5 assists per game as the Redhawks opened WAC play with a road split … UT Rio Grande Valley's Jordan Jackson scored 21 points at Oklahoma and then opened the year with 17 points at California Baptist … Utah Valley guard Brandon Averette put up 18 points in a win at Chicago State and 16 points in a loss at Kansas City to lead the Wolverines to a road split.