Today we have a famous name and familiar face having a great two game stretch to help his team to big wins on the way to earning Week 4's NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week honors ...
Player of the Week
Harouna Mutombo– Senior, Western Carolina
Senior Harouna Mutombo has had a challenging last two years but it seems that he is back to his Southern Conference Freshman of the Year form. In two games last week, he averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Mutombo shot 12-of-27 from the floor, 2-of-5 from the three and 10-of-14 from the line while playing 34 minutes per contest in Western Carolina’s two wins over Samford and UNC Greensboro to earn him our NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.
In the Catamounts’ 75-71 win over Samford Dec. 1, Mutombo had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 36 minutes of action. He shot 8-of-15 from the floor including 1-of-3 from behind the arc.
In the team’s next game against UNC Greensboro two days later, Mutombo had paced Western Carolina again going for 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 32 minutes of floor time. He shot 4-of-12 from the floor but also shot 9-of-11 from the line in the 73-69 win.
For the season, Mutombo is averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting .476 from the floor, .381 from the three and .675 from the line in 30.4 minutes per game. He currently leads his team in scoring and rebounding as well as total points.
Honorable Mention: Tyler Murray, Wagner – 16.5 ppg, 8 rpg, 2 apg, 1.5 spg, 12-of-23 FGs, 7-of-11 3-PT FGs, 2-of-3 FTs, 33mpg in two games Dec. 1 and 3.
Rookie of the Week
Justin Edwards– Freshman, Maine
Justin Edwards may be locking up the Rookie of the Year award in the America East and he may be doing so with us here after another spectacular week for Maine. In the Black Bears’ two games last week, he helped them go 1-1 averaging 17.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 26 minutes. He shot 11-of-23 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line over the two games and earned America East Rookie of the Week as well as NC-Double-Eh Rookie of the Week honors for the third straight time.
In Maine’s 85-80 overtime loss to Eastern Illinois Nov. 30, Edwards was great despite foul trouble. He would eventually foul out but before he did he had 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks in 26 minutes. He would shoot 7-of-12 from the floor as well in the only game he has scored less than 20 points.
In Maine’s next game Dec. 4, Edwards would contribute 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 26 minutes before fouling out in the 76-74 overtime win over Rhode Island. He also shot 6-of-11 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line and he hit his only three point attempt.
For the season, Edwards is averaging 20.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 3.2 steals in 29 minutes per game. He is top ten in the America East Conference in several statistical categories including points (3rd behind teammate Gerald McLemore and 25th in the NCAA), rebounds (10th), field goal percentage (3rd), free throw percentage (3rd), steals (1st and 2nd in the NCAA), 3-Point shooting percentage, blocks (2nd) and defensive boards (9th with 4).
Honorable Mention: Myck Kabongo, Texas – 14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 7.5 apg, 1 spg,11-of-16 FGs, 3-of-5 3-PT FGs, 8-of-10 FTs in 31 mpg in two games Nov. 29 and Dec. 3.
Line(s) of the Week
Keaton Cole, Western Carolina - 5-of-9 from the field, 4-of-7 from the three, 3-of 5 from the line, 0 rebs, 0 asts, 2 stls, 0 blks in 22 minutes of action vs. Samford Dec. 1
Keaton Cole is one of the Western Carolina point guards and can light it up in hurry. He’s really more shooting guard in a point guard body. I will always find it remarkable that he plays a good chunk of minutes and will rarely register an assist as a primary ball handler. In this game, he played half of the minutes and only managed shooting stats. I know that stat guys may miss one or two here and there but wow. I wish I could have been this kind of shooter in my rec league.
Bryson Johnson, Bucknell– 0-for-9 in 47 minutes over two games
Bryson Johnson is a shooter, no doubt about it. He has gone on cold streaks before but this one is a little strange – he’s 0-for-9 over two games. I don’t know what’s up but this is not like him at all. That’s back-to-back games where he didn’t make a field goal and it’s the first time in his collegiate career that's it's happened. After the two 20 point outburst two weeks ago, I thought that maybe his stroke was back but I guess Johnson will have to keep firing until it returns again.