SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga’s Casey Jones has been named the Southern Conference Player of the Week for all games played Nov. 25 through Dec. 1, while Samford’s Christen Cunningham earned the CRONS Freshman of the Week Award, the league office announced Tuesday (Dec. 2).
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Casey Jones, F, Jr., New Orleans, La.
Casey Jones recorded a pair of double-doubles as Chattanooga went 2-1 last week, finishing with 18.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as the Mocs earned wins over Robert Morris (61-46) and Coastal Carolina (78-67) before falling to Kennesaw State (77-69) on Saturday. Jones began his week with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Robert Morris and followed that performance the next day with a 20-point, 12-rebound effort against the Chanticleers on the strength of 7-of-8 shooting from the field. Jones then scored a season-high 22 points at Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon. The forward shot 64 percent from the field and connected on 82 percent of his free throws for UTC.
Other nominees: Ashton Moore (The Citadel), Lester Wilson (ETSU), Ike Nwamu (Mercer), Darius Jones-Gibson (Samford), Rhett Harrelson (Western Carolina) and Karl Cochran (Wofford).
CRONS Freshman of the Week: Christen Cunningham, G, Georgetown, Ky.
Christen Cunningham earned the CRONS Freshman of the Week award for the second time this season after averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in three games last week. Cunningham began the week with a 16-point performance in an 84-71 loss at Kennesaw State. The Georgetown, Ky., native tallied 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals in a 77-64 setback at Louisiana Tech. Cunningham finished the week with nine points, seven assists and four rebounds in a 76-70 overtime win against Jacksonville on Monday night.
Other nominees: Jake Wright (The Citadel) and Charlendez Brooks (Western Carolina).
SoCon Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Nov. 18 – James Sinclair, Western Carolina
Nov. 25 – Karl Cochran, Wofford
Dec. 2 – Casey Jones, Chattanooga
CRONS Freshman of the Week
Nov. 18 – Christen Cunningham, Samford
Nov. 25 – Daniel Fowler, Furman
Dec. 2 – Christen Cunningham, Samford