Niagara's Scott & Rider's Allen Claim Men's Basketball Weekly Awards
Player of the Week
Matt Scott, Niagara
Sr, G, Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Law and Tech
Senior guard Matt Scott averaged 30 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in three games for the Purple Eagles. Scott shot 54.2 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from the 3-point line and 76.3 percent from the free-throw line while averaging 34 minutes per game. In Niagara’s final leg of its season-opening four-game road trip at BYU on Nov. 21, Scott led all scorers with a career-high 36 points, the most in the MAAC this season, for his fifth career 30-point game. Scott added seven rebounds and had a game-high three steals. In the Purple Eagles’ home opener against Alabama A&M on Nov. 24, Scott scored a game-high 28 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field and 11-for-14 at the free-throw line, and had a team-high four assists. In the championship game of the Barclays Center Classic Niagara Division on Saturday, Scott led Niagara with 26 points for his 26th career 20-point game and fourth this season. He made a season-high 13 free throws on 15 attempts en route to being named to the all-tournament team. Scott is currently third in the nation in points per game (25.2).
Rookie of the Week
Jordan Allen, Rider
R-Fr., G, Dover, DE/Dover
Allen averaged a team-high 18.7 points to go along with 4.0 rebounds per game in the Broncs’ 3-0 week and the Las Vegas Invitational Upper Division Championship. He shot 45.5 percent (10-22) from long range, hitting at least three three-point field goals in all three games. For his effort, he was named to the Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team. He began the week with 15 points and four rebounds, knocking down 3-of-6 three-point attempts in a 67-65 win at George Washington, giving Rider its first win over an Atlantic 10 team since Dec. 22, 2010 (La Salle). He then scored 17 points on 7-of-13 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-7 three-point attempts, in a 90-82 win over UC Irvine on Thursday. His game-high 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting (4-9 three-point field goals) then pushed Rider to a 94-80 win over Hampton on Friday. For the season, Allen is averaging a team-best 17.8 points per game, while shooting 46.8 percent (22-47) from long range.