SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga graduate student Jake Stephens has been named the Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for all contests from Dec. 12-18 after averaging 28.0 points, 15.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 4.5 blocked shots and 2.0 steals per game on the week. The award is selected by the league office.
 
Stephens claimed his fourth straight weekly award and fifth this season. The honor is the 10th of his career, making him just the second player in league history to claim the award at least 10 times. The only other is SoCon Hall of Famer Stephen Curry of Davidson, who had 16 selections from 2006-09. Stephens and Curry are the only two players in league history to be named the player of the week four consecutive times.
 
Stephens opened his week with 24 points and 11 rebounds in the Mocs’ 82-73 win at Middle Tennessee on Thursday. The Bunker Hill, West Virginia, native was 8-for-13 from the floor (.615), hitting his lone 3-point attempt, and went 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Stephens also added five assists, four blocked shots and a steal as Chattanooga won its sixth straight and snapped the Blue Raiders’ 20-game home winning streak.
 
In Sunday’s 83-79, overtime setback to Belmont, Stephens scored 32 points and pulled down 20 rebounds, both season highs, for the first 30/20 game in program history. The 7-0 center also added five assists, five blocked shots and three steals on the day. He was 11-for-18 from the floor (.611) and 5-of-8 (.625) from 3-point range. He converted five of his eight free-throw attempts (.625).
 
For the week, Stephens shot 61.3 percent from the floor (19-for-31), 66.7 from 3-point range (6-for-9) and 80 percent from the free-throw line (12-for-15).
 
With his monster week, Stephens is now averaging 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. Only one other player in NCAA Division I – 7-4 Zach Edey of Purdue – is averaging 20 points and 10 boards per game, while Stephens is the only player to meet those standards and average 2.5 blocked shots per game.
 
Chattanooga (8-4) wraps up nonconference play with a visit to Georgia on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
 
Other nominees: Austin Ash (The Citadel), Justice Smith (ETSU), Mike Bothwell (Furman), Jalyn McCreary (Mercer), Keondre Kennedy (UNCG), Achor Achor (Samford), Vonterius Woolbright (Western Carolina) and Jackson Paveletzke (Wofford).
 
2022-23 SoCon Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
Nov. 14             Jake Stephens, Gr., C, Chattanooga
Nov. 21             Mike Bothwell, 5th, G, Furman
Nov. 28             Jake Stephens, Gr., C, Chattanooga
Dec. 5              Jake Stephens, Gr., C, Chattanooga
Dec. 12             Jake Stephens, Gr., C, Chattanooga
Dec. 19             Jake Stephens, Gr., C, Chattanooga