Conference USA Men's Basketball Players of the Week

Rice and North Texas land players on the list.

Conference USA

IRVING, Texas -- Rice sophomore guard Marcus Evans added to his conference honors as he was named C-USA Player of the Week, averaging 27.5 points per game with a 17-of-17 performance at the free throw line in a pair of road wins. The Owls have won four games in a row and Evans has scored 20 or more points 14 times this season.

North Texas provided the C-USA Freshman of the Week winner for the second week in a row as Ryan Woolridge claims his first weekly honor of the season. Woolridge tied his career-high of 21 points at FIU and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds in the Mean Green’s win at Florida Atlantic. Awards are chosen by a vote from a media panel representing the 14 member schools.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MARCUS EVANS, RICE
Sophomore, 6-2, 195, G, Chesapeake, Virginia
Evans led Rice to road wins at FIU and Florida Atlantic, averaging 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He connected on 45.7percent (16-of-35) from the field, 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from three and a perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line.

The sophomore guard began the week by helping Rice to an 89-78 victory at FIU. Evans led all players with 27 points, a season-high-tying six rebounds and four assists. With the game tied at 59, Evans scored 12 points in a 21-8 run to clinch the game for the Owls.

Evans followed that up with a game-high 28 points and six rebounds in an 81-75 overtime victory at Florida Atlantic, bringing Rice back from an 11-point deficit. With Rice trailing by three with 3:03 left in the second half, Evans scored Rice’s final six points in regulation to send the game into overtime. His basket with 33 seconds left in overtime was the difference, giving Rice the lead that it would not relinquish.

This is Evans’ second career C-USA Player of the Week honor, although he was named C-USA Freshman of the Week a record 10 times last season.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
RYAN WOOLRIDGE, NORTH TEXAS
Freshman, 6-3, 175, G, Mansfield, Texas
Woolridge had a stellar week on the road, averaging 13.5 points per game as the Mean Green split its pair of conference games. He tied his career-high with 21 points, including 17 in the second half, at FIU on Saturday. In the 70-64 win at Florida Atlantic, Woolridge chipped in six points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds.

The Mansfield, Texas native, dished out four assists in each game and finished the week shooting 64.7 percent from the field (11-for-17). This is Woolridge’s first C-USA Freshman of the Week honor.

C-USA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
N14:      Egor Koulechov, Rice
N21:      Dominic Artis, UTEP
N28:      JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee
D5:         Marcus Evans, Rice
D12:       Jon Elmore, Marshall
D19:       JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee
D26:       Stevie Browning, Marshall
J2:          Reggie Upshaw Jr., Middle Tennessee
J9:          Ryan Taylor, Marshall
J16:        William Lee, UAB
J23:        Jon Davis, Charlotte
J30:        Matt Willms, UTEP
F6:          Justin Johnson, WKU
F13:       Marcus Evans, Rice

C-USA FRESHMEN OF THE WEEK
N14:      DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
N21:      Byron Frohnen, UTSA
N28:      Jailyn Ingram, Florida Atlantic
D5:         Najee Garvin, Charlotte
D12:       Deon Barrett, UTEP
D19:       A.J. Lawson, North Texas
D26:       Byron Frohnen, UTSA
               Jalen Harris, Louisiana Tech
J2:          Quentin Jackson Jr., Charlotte
J9:          Giovanni De Nicolao, UTSA
J16:        DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
J23:        DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
J30:        Byron Frohnen, UTSA
F6:          A.J. Lawson, North Texas
F13:       Ryan Woolridge, North Texas

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