Massinburg and Thompson Collect MAC Player of the Week Honors
MAC East Division Player of the Week
CJ Massinburg, Buffalo
Guard, Junior Dallas, TX/South Oak Cliff
Junior CJ Massinburg recorded his sixth 20-point game of the season on Saturday as he scored a game-high 23 points in an 86-70 win over Robert Morris. Massinburg went 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc, He also hit eight of his 10 free throws. Massinburg added 10 rebounds for his third straight double-double, while also dishing out four assists. The Dallas, TX native is averaging 20.0 per game this season and he also leads the Bulls and is sixth in the MAC in rebounding as a guard. Massinburg has scored at least 20 points in four of the last five games and he is averaging 22.0 points per contest over that five-game span.
MAC West Division Player of the Week
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan
Center, Junior, Baton Rouge, La.
The 49ers came in with an RPI of 98 and the Eagles, behind Thompson's ninth double-double of the season, came out victorious, 85-80. The double-double was the ninth in 10 games for the Baton Rouge, La. native, good for tops in the Mid-American Conference and third in the NCAA. Thompson remains one of the dominant inside forces in the MAC, leading the conference by almost three rebounds per game with a 12.7 average. The junior is also second in field goal percentage (69.9), third in blocks per game (1.6), and seventh in the conference in points per game (17.7).
Other Nominees
Daniel Utomi, Akron
Guard/Wing, Sophomore, Houston, Texas
Daniel Utomi poured in 23 points to lead the Zips past Mississippi Valley State and give Akron its sixth straight home win of the season, keeping the unbeaten streak at the James A. Rhodes Arena alive. Utomi shot 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the field, including a 42.9 percent (3-of-7) effort from beyond the 3-point arc. The Houston, Texas native added an 85.7 percent (6-of-7) performance from the charity stripe while pulling down seven rebounds and posting a team-high three steals.
Bam Bowman, Miami
Center, Sophomore, Bowling Green, Ky. (Warren Central)
Sophomore forward Bam Bowman recorded his first career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the RedHawks' 109-70 victory over Rio Grande Sunday. He more than doubled his previous career-high in points of nine. His 10 rebounds was also a career-high. Bowman went 6-for-7 from the field, recording his double-double in only 19 minutes of action.
Jordan Dartis, Ohio
Guard, Junior, Newark, Ohio (Newark)
After missing one game due to a lower leg injury, junior guard Jordan Dartis (Newark, Ohio) scored a career-high 27 points, thanks in large part to match his career high with seven made threes, as the Ohio men's basketball team (5-5) clawed back from a nine-point halftime deficit to force overtime but ultimately dropped a tough 99-96 decision to longtime rival Marshall (8-3) on Saturday (Dec. 16) at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va. He also totaled three rebounds and an assist in 41 minutes.
