BYU-Hawaii's Marques Whippy earns PacWest Player of the Week award

BYU-Hawaii's Marques Whippy claims PacWest award

PHOENIX, AZ - BYU-Hawaii junior guard Marques Whippy (Bua, Fiji/LDS) has been selected the Pacific West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week.

The award was announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Feb. 22, for games contested Feb. 15-21.

Whippy led the Seasiders to a 2-0 week by defeating Grand Canyon and Dixie State, helping BYU-Hawaii remain in the hunt for their second straight PacWest title.

Over the two contests, Whippy averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 63.2% (12 for 19) from the field. He ranked fifth in rebounding and ninth in shooting for the week in the conference, while his 5.0 steals per game led the league.

He also averaged 3.0 assists per contest, 1.5 blocks per game (third for the week), and produced a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio.

Men's Basketball Weekly Report

PacWest Men's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Lucas Alves - BYU-Hawaii (Sr., 6-9, 230, F/C, Casa Branca, Brazil/Colegio Avanqo Ensino Progranado)...led BYU-Hawaii to a 2-0 week by averaging 19.0 points and shooting 60.9% (14 for 23) from the field...ranked 12th in shooting and fourth in scoring in the PacWest for the week.

Jonathan Burnett - Academy of Art (Jr., 6-7, 225, F, Rock Island, IL/Rock Island)...scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in AAU's lone game of the week - an 81-58 loss vs. Dominican (CA) on Feb. 18...tied for seventh in scoring and tied for eighth in rebounding in the PacWest for the week...led the league in shooting after making all seven of his field goal attempts.

Austin Bryan - Dominican (CA) (Fr., 6-4, 190, G, Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee)...tied for seventh in scoring for the week after averaging 14.0 points per game...led the Penguins to a 2-0 mark...tied for fourth in steal average (2.5) and ranked 10th in three-point shooting (55.6% / 5 for 9) in the PacWest for the week...averaged 2.5 three-pointers made per game (6th in the PacWest for the week).

Matt Cousins - Chaminade (So., 6-8, 215, F, Santa Rosa, CA/Cardinal Newman)...averaged 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 68.8% (11 for 16) from the floor despite an 0-2 week for the Silverswords...ranked third in scoring...tied for 11th in rebounding and fourth in shooting for the week in the PacWest...made 21 of 24 free throw attempts (87.5%).

Ray Murdock - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., 6-3, 205, G/F, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle)...scored 24 points, handed out six assists and pulled down six rebounds in tough 97-86 loss vs. Dixie State on Feb. 20...shot 62.5% (10 for 16) in the game...ranked 10th in shooting, second in assist average and first in scoring for the week in the conference...also shared the lead in block average (2.0) for the week...produced a 1.5 assist/turnover average...made a pair of three-pointers.

Bryan Ngo - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 5-10, 175, G, San Jose, CA/Santa Clara)...scored 15 points while shooting 63.6% (7 for 11) from the field in lone game of the week - a 67-61 loss vs. Grand Canyon...tied for seventh in shooting and ranked sixth in scoring for the week.

Donovan Plunkett - Dixie State (Jr., 5-11, 160, G, Oroville, CA/Las Plumas)...averaged 18.0 points per game in a 2-1 week in Hawai‘i...ranked fifth in scoring in the PacWest for the week...led PacWest in foul shooting (10 for 10) and in three's made per game (4.0)...shot 63.2% (12 for 19) from behind the arc.

Anthony Reilly - BYU-Hawaii (So., 5-10, 280, G, Valley Center, CA/Valley Center)...helped guide the Seasiders to a 2-0 week thanks to his 14.0 points-per-game average and 64.3% (9 for 14) shooting from the field...tied for seventh in scoring and ranked sixth in shooting for the week in the PacWest...also tied for eighth in assist average (4.0) and tied for fourth in steals per game (2.5)...posted a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio...dropped 3 of 5 three-point attempts (60.0%).

Justin Wesolowski - Grand Canyon (So., 6-7, N/A, F, Mesa, AZ/Mountain View)...helped lead the Antelopes to a 2-1 mark during a three-game week in Hawai‘i...averaged 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 59.1% (13 for 22) from the floor...made 3 of 4 three-point attempts (75.0%).

Tom Whitehead - Dixie State (Jr., 6-6, 185, F, St. George, UT/Dixie)...led Red Storm to 2-1 week...posted 22.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game...ranked second in scoring for the week in the conference...shot 60.0% (21 for 35) from the floor...made 16 of 18 (88.9%) free throw attempts to tie for 10th in foul shooting for the week...also tied for lead in block average (2.0)...tied for seventh in steals per game (2.0)...made 9 of 14 three-point attempts (64.3%) and averaged 3.0 three-pointers made per game...tied for third in three's made and ranked seventh in three-point shooting for the week.