TicketSmarter WAC Men’s Basketball Players of the Week Announced
DENVER – Chicago State's Brandon Betson has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week and California Baptist's Taran Armstrong was named TicketSmarter WAC Men's Basketball Freshman of the Week for November 8-14.
Betson, a junior guard from Hercules, Calif., was the leading scorer for the Cougars in each of their two wins on the week. He opened the season with 22 points and four assists in Tuesday's 77-72 win over St. Thomas. On Friday, he added to his season totals with 16 points and three assists in a 67-56 win over visiting SIUE. On the week, he averaged 19.0 points per game on 14-of-27 shooting for a .519 clip.
Armstrong, a freshman guard from Burnie, Tasmania, Australia, posted a pair of 12 points games to help the Lancers open the season 2-0. In the opener against San Francisco State, he was 4-of-8 from the field and 2-2 on free throws to go with seven rebounds, eight assists and a block. He followed that up with 5-of-6 shooting against Mississippi Valley State, adding nine assists to his season totals as well.
Other nominees included: Abilene Christian's Reggie Miller averaged 11.5 points per game as the 'Cats lost a pair of heartbreakers on the road at Utah and Texas A&M … California Baptist's Dan Akin started off his Lancer career with a pair of double-digit scoring games, putting up 15 points against San Francisco State and 14 points, adding 11 rebounds, against Mississippi Valley State … Dixie State's Cameron Gooden put up 12.5 points per game as DSU fell at top-ranked Gonzaga before earning a home win against Southern Utah … Grand Canyon's Jovan Blacksher Jr. helped the Lopes start the season 2-0, averaging 14.0 points per game in home wins over Grambling and North Florida … NM State's Donnie Tillman put up 11.0 points per game as the Aggies returned to the Pan Am Center with wins over UC Irvine and UTEP … Sam Houston's Savion Flagg put up 31 points and 11 rebounds in a 74-65 road loss at Nebraska … Seattle U's Riley Grigsby averaged 17.7 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game over three games as the Redhawks earned a pair of home wins to open the 2021-22 season … Tarleton's Montre' Gipson averaged 17.0 points per game in road losses at Stanford and third-ranked Kansas … UT Rio Grande Valley's Justin Johnson had a career-high seven rebounds to go with 13 points in a 74-59 win over Texas A&M-International … Utah Valley's Fardaws Aimaq averaged 20.0 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game in a loss at Boise State and a home win against Antelope Valley.
Other freshman nominees included: Chicago State's Bryce Johnson scored 17 points in the second half to help the Cougars earned a 67-56 win over SIUE … Grand Canyon's Jalen Blackmon opened up his collegiate career with a pair of steals and an assist in Tuesday's 74-53 win over Grambling … Lamar's Avontez Ledet scored 15 points in just 11 minutes in a road loss at Miami (Ohio) … UT Rio Grande Valley's Rayquan Taylor had nine points and eight rebounds in Tuesday's 74-59 win over Texas A&M-International