UConn senior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) has been named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the fifth time this season after he led the Huskies to victories over USF and Cincinnati last week.
Napier averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals for the two games, which upped the Huskies’ record to 23-6 overall and 11-5 in the AAC.
Napier scored 17 points, including 15 in the second half, with 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals as UConn rallied from behind in the second half to defeat USF, 61-56, in Tampa last Wednesday.
On Saturday, before a sellout crowd at the XL Center, Napier registered his sixth double-double of the season and the eighth of his career with 18 points and 11 rebounds, along with 2 assists and 2 steals, as UConn upended No. 11/12 Cincinnati, 51-45. Napier was 6-of-6 from the foul line down the stretch to help secure the victory.
In addition to his five Player of the Week selections, Napier has also been named to the conference’s weekly Honor Roll eight times, giving him conference recognition in 13 of the season’s 17 weeks. No other AAC player has been Player of the Week more than three times.
Napier is currently on the final watch lists nationally for the Senior CLASS Award, the John Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, and the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award.
Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.
photo credit: john woike – hartford courant
