Big South Announces Men's Basketball Players of the Week - Feb. 16
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Longwood guard/forward
Alphonzo Billups III (Richmond, Va.) and Winthrop guard
Kareem Rozier (Detroit, Mich.) have been named the Big South Men’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week, while Charleston Southern guard
Jacob Taylor (Marietta, Ga.) is the Freshman of the Week honoree for games played Feb. 9-15, it was announced today.
Billups, who entered the week averaging 7.1 points, tripled his season scoring average with back-to-back 20-point performances for a 22.5 clip in two games. He was the Lancers’ leading scorer for the first time this year, as he opened with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting in addition to two rebounds, two steals and two assists against UNC Asheville last Thursday night on ESPNU. Billups followed with a career-high 25 points in an overtime win over USC Upstate on Saturday, in which he made a career-best six three-pointers -- all after halftime, and grabbed a career-high eight boards. For the week, Billups was 17-of-24 from the field ( =70.8 percent) and 10-of-16 from long range ( =62.5), plus averages of 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.0 blocked shots.
Rozier scored a career-high 33 points and made a career-best nine three-pointers in leading Winthrop past Gardner-Webb last week. He finished the day 9-of-15 from beyond the arc ( =60.0 percent) and 11-of-18 overall from the floor ( =61.1). Rozier made six first-half threes and scored eight consecutive points to help the Eagles to a 12-point advantage midway through the opening half. He also snatched a season-high four steals in addition to four assists and four rebounds in 33 minutes of action.
Taylor averaged 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists as the Bucs went 1-1 last week. He opened with eight points, five rebounds and two assists in CSU’s victory over Presbyterian last Thursday. Taylor then scored 14 points in 22 minutes at Radford, as he was 6-of-7 from the floor with two three-point baskets, two boards, one assist and one steal.
Also nominated for Player of the Week:
Rob Martin (High Point),
Jaylen Peterson (Presbyterian),
Jaylon Johnson (Radford) and
Toyaz Solomon (UNC Asheville).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Frederik Erichsen (Radford) and
Daniel Thomas (UNC Asheville).