Feb. 25, 2013
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Colorado Springs, Colo. – New Mexico junior guard Kendall Williams has been named Mountain West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for games through February 24. This is the first career MW weekly accolade for Williams.
Williams hit a Mountain West and school-record 10 3-pointers en route to a career-high 46 points as New Mexico ended Colorado State’s 27-game home win streak with a 91-82 victory on Saturday. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native, who entered the game with a 13.1 scoring average, netted 20 points in the first half and 26 in the second. He scored 18 of his 46 points in the final six minutes, including 11 straight. With New Mexico down 70-69, Williams hit back-to-back 3-pointers, capping an 11-0 run and giving the Lobos a 75-70 lead with 3:59 remaining in the game. In the final minute of play, Williams went 7-of-9 from the free throw line to secure the victory.
Williams’ 46-point performance, which ranks as the third-highest scoring effort by a Division I player this season, is the third-best in a MW-only game in league history and fifth-best overall. It also set the MW junior class record for most points in a Conference-only game, shattering the previous record of 36 points, shared by BYU’s Jimmer Fredette (twice, Feb. 17, 2010 at Colorado State and Jan. 30, 2010 vs. Utah) and UNLV’s Marcus Banks (Feb. 23, 2002 vs. San Diego State). Williams’ 10 3-pointers eclipsed the league’s previous overall and MW-only records of nine each. The overall record was accomplished several times, most recently by UNLV’s Chace Stanback (Dec. 28, 2011 vs. Central Arkansas). Colorado State’s Sean Morris (Jan. 22, 2005 at UNLV) and New Mexico’s Javin Tindall (Jan. 31, 2004 at UNLV) shared the previous record for most 3-pointers in a MW-only game. Tindall shared the Lobos’ record with Ruben Douglas (Nov. 23, 2001 vs. Pacific).
Williams also added four assists and five rebounds, while going 12-of-16 (.750) from the field, including 10-of-13 (.769) from 3-point range, and 12-of-17 (.706) from the line.
Kendall also was named to the Starting Five of ESPN’s Players of the Week in the weekly “Pick and Roll” column, as well as co-player of the week nationally by both ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
2012-13 MW Men's Basketball Players of the Week: Nov. 12 Colton Iverson, Sr., C, Colorado State Nov. 19 Deonte Burton, Jr., G, Nevada Tony Snell, Jr., G, New Mexico Nov. 26 Colton Iverson, Sr., C, Colorado State Dec. 3 Derrick Marks, So., G, Boise State Dec. 10 Anthony Bennett, Fr., F, UNLV Dec. 17 Anthony Drmic, So., G/F, Boise State Dec. 24 Pierce Hornung, Sr., F, Colorado State Dec. 31 Alex Kirk, So., C, New Mexico Jan. 7 Leonard Washington, Sr., F, Wyoming Jan. 14 Alex Kirk, So., C, New Mexico Jamaal Franklin, Jr., G, San Diego State Jan. 21 Dorian Green, Sr., G, Colorado State Jan. 28 JJ O'Brien, So., F, San Diego State Feb. 4 Pierce Hornung, Sr., F, Colorado State Feb. 11 Derrick Marks, So., G, Boise State Feb. 18 Michael Lyons, Sr., G, Air Force Feb. 25 Kendall Williams, Jr., G, New Mexico