SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford sophomore Wyatt Walker has been named the Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for all games played Jan. 3-9. The sophomore averaged 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds last week while shooting over 61 percent from the field.
Walker began the week with team highs in points (18) and rebounds (nine) against Furman. He followed that performance with a 25-point, eight-rebound effort in an overtime win over Wofford (91-89). Walker scored the game-winning basket on a tip-in with two seconds left in the extra session. The Jacksonville, Fla., native was 8-for-12 from the field and shot 9-of-10 from the free-throw line against the Terriers.
He shot 16-for-26 (.615) from the field last week and connected on 11-of-12 free throw attempts. Walker ranks 14th in the league in scoring (13.2 ppg) and is tops among all SoCon players with 10.5 rebounds per game. He has made 57 percent of his field-goal attempts this season, which ranks fifth in the league.
Samford (12-5, 3-1 SoCon) returns to action Wednesday (Jan. 11) when the Bulldogs host Mercer (7-10, 1-3 SoCon).
Other top performers in the Southern Conference included The Citadel’s Leandro Allende, ETSU’s T.J. Cromer, Mercer’s Ria’n Holland, Chattanooga’s Justin Tuoyo and Wofford’s Ryan Sawvell.
SoCon Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Nov. 15 – Zane Najdawi, The Citadel
Nov. 22 – Wyatt Walker, Samford
Nov. 29 – Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, Samford
Dec. 6 – Zane Najdawi, The Citadel
Dec. 13 – Tre’ McLean, Chattanooga
Dec. 20 – Julian Eleby, VMI
Jan. 3 – T.J. Cromer, ETSU
Jan. 10 – Wyatt Walker, Samford