MAC Announces Men's Basketball Players of the Week
MAC East Division Co-Player of the Week
Nick Perkins, Buffalo
Forward, Senior, Ypsilanti, MI (Milan)
Senior Nick Perkins was named the Most Valuable Player at the Belfast Hall of Fame Classic as he averaged 21.0 points and 7.0 rebounds a game, powering the Bulls to a pair of wins and the tournament title. Perkins began the weekend on Friday with 20 points in the win over Milwaukee, tying his career high with four three pointers. On Saturday, the Bulls handed San Francisco their first loss of the season in eight tries as Perkins led the Bulls with a season-best 22 points and two blocked shots.
Jason Carter, Ohio
Forward, RS Sophomore, Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe
Redshirt sophomore Jason Carter (Johnstown, Ohio) led the Bobcats on the floor during this past week, helping the Bobcats to a 2-0 week, picking up an 89-65 win over Iona at home on Nov. 27 and defeating Marshall, 101-84 on Dec. 1 inside the Convocation Center. Overall, Carter led the team with 22.5 points per game while shooting 53.1 (17-of-32) percent from the floor, 50.0 (2-of-4) percent from three-point range and 69.2 (9-of-13) percent from the free throw line. Carter also averaged 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game. On Nov. 27 against Iona, Carter finished the game with 20 points, going 8-of-15 from the field, 1-of-3 and three-point range and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished out two assists and had one take away in 26 minutes on the floor in the victory. Carter came back on Dec. 1 against Marshall, leading the Bobcats again by tying a career-high with 25 points, going 9-of-17 from the field, 1-of-1 from the three and 6-of-9 from the free throw line. He also grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. He also had two assists and two steals in 29 minutes on the floor.
MAC West Division Player of the Week
Nate Navigato, Toledo
Forward, Senior, Geneva, Ill. (Geneva)
Senior Nate Navigato led Toledo to a pair of double-digit victories last week by averaging a team-high 18.0 points to go along with a team-best 61.9 field-goal percentage (13-of-21) and 62.5 three-point field-goal percentage (10-of-16). He also dished out 4.5 assist per game and grabbed 1.5 steals per game. Navigato connected for a season-high tying five three-point field goals in eight attempts against both North Alabama and Cleveland State. He also dished out a season-high six assists and moved into sec-ond place on the Rockets’ career-three-point list against the Lions. Navigato now has 249 career treys as a Rocket. Navigato ranks second in the MAC and 15th nationally with a 53.2 three-point FG%.
Other Nominees
Jimond Ivey, Akron
Guard, Senior, Cleveland, Ohio
Jimond Ivey Averaged a double-double last week to lead the Zips to two home wins over Alabama State (86-54) and Detroit Mercy (71-59). For the week, Ivey averaged 19.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game to go along with 5.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. He scored a total of 38 points on 16-of-21 (.762) shooting from the floor and 2-of-5 (.400) from long distance. He buried 80 percent of his free throws (4-of-5) and recorded 11 assists, four blocks and three steals. Ivey grabbed 22 total rebounds for the Zips. Against Alabama State, Ivey scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds with six assists, three blocks and two steals. Against Detroit Mercy, Ivey recorded his second double-double of the season with 25 points and 13 rebounds. He added five assists, a block and a steal to the stat sheet. Ivey is 25 points away from reaching the 1,000 career points threshold.
Tahjai Teague, Ball State
Forward, Junior, Indianapolis, Ind. (Pike)
Tahjai Teague averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds over Ball State’s two victories last week, including a big performance in an in-state road win Saturday at IUPUI. Teague scored a team-best 19 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds in the 85-75 victory, as the Cardinals ran their winning streak to four games and snapped IUPUI’s three-game streak. The Jaguars entered with quality wins over Boston College and Bradley. Teague also had three steals and a block against IUPUI. His steal and slam (one of four dunks on the day) in the closing minutes helped the Cardinals stave off one last rally from the Jaguars. Earlier in the week, Teague scored 15 points with four boards and two assists in just 21 minutes in Ball State’s victory over Tiffin, going 7-for-10 from the floor. He shot 63.6 percent for the week and ranks second in the league at 63.8 percent for the season.
Larry Austin Jr., Central Michigan
Guard, Senior, Springfield, Ill. (Vanderbilt)
Senior guard Larry Austin Jr. continued to make an immediate and signficant impact in his first season at Central Michigan, helping the Chippewas to a 1-1 record last week in a two-game road swing through the state of Texas. Austin averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. In an 81-65 win over Sam Houston State on Wednesday, Austin led CMU in points (23), assists (7) and rebounds (6). Against TCU, which reached the national rank of No. 18 earlier this season, Austin posted 19 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Through eight games, Austin ranks No. 2 in the MAC in steals (2.1 spa), No. 3 in scoring (19.0 ppg) and No. 5 in field goal percentage (.575) and assists (4.4 apg).
Boubacar Toure, Eastern Michigan
Center, Senior, Dakar, Senegal
Eastern Michigan redshirt junior Boubacar Toure averaged 15 points and nine rebounds on a week that saw EMU take on TCU (Nov. 26) and Northeastern (Dec. 1). The Dakar, Senegal native put up a career-best 20 points and also pulled down 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season in the Eagles' loss at TCU, Nov. 26. Toure also added 10 points against the Huskies on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor.
Jaylin Walker, Kent State
Guard, Senior, Inkster, Mich.
Senior Jaylin Walker led Kent State to a 2-0 record last week by averaging 25.5 points per game, defeating Detroit Mercy 76-72 in an incredible comeback as the Flashes overcame a 70-62 deficit with 1:36 left to play, and defeating Norfolk State, 78-67. In the game against Detroit Mercy, Walker scored a career-high 36 points after shooting 10-of-24 from the field and 7-of-15 from long range. He also went a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe. Against Norfolk State, Walker scored 15 points on 5-of-12 (41.6 percent) shooting from the field and 5-of-7 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range. He grabbed a total five rebounds and had four assists. For the week, Walker shot 41.6 percent (15-of-36) from the field,11-of-22 (50 percent) from 3-point range, and 90 percent (10-of-11) from the free throw line. He averaged 5.5 rebounds per game (11) and 2.0 assists per game (4), while swiping two steals.
Eugene German, Northern Illinois
Guard, Junior, Gary, Ind. (21st Century Charter)
Eugene German scored a career-high 33 points in NIU’s lone game of the week at Green Bay. The junior from Gary, Ind., reached the 30-point mark for the second time this season as the Huskie comeback attempt came up just two points short. German grabbed five rebounds and also had a pair of steals to go along with his 33 points.
Seth Dugan, Western Michigan
Center, Senior, Otsego, Mich. (Otsego)
Dugan earned his fifth double-double of the season on Saturday against USC Upstate. Dugan against the Spartans, recorded 20 points to go along with 10 rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes played. It was a strong second half for Dugan who scored 14 of his 20 points in the final 20 minutes of play. From the field, Dugan was 7-of-14, marking the seventh game this season he has shot over 50 percent. On the season, the senior center is leading the Broncos averaging 19.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.
