Caleb Fields, Bowling Green
Guard, Freshman, Cape May Court House (Wildwood Catholic)
Caleb Fields, a freshman guard from Cape May Court House, N.J., led Bowling Green to a 1-0 week. The Falcons defeated UT Martin, 94-80, on Dec. 30 to move to 7-0 at home in 2017-18. Fields went 6-for-7 from downtown, making his final five three-point attempts to finish with a career-high 24 points. Fields also added two rebounds, while setting career highs in assists (4) and steals (2).
Jaylin Walker, Kent State
Guard, Senior, Inkster, Mich.
Jaylin Walker led the Flashes to a thrilling 70-68 win over Albany, a game that came right down to the final seconds. Walker led the team with 26 points, his fourth-straight game of scoring 25 or more points. The senior guard also added three rebounds, three steals, and an assist to go with his night. From the floor, he shot 8-of-19 from the floor and 4-of-8 from downtown. Walker drained a 3-pointer with 39 seconds left to put the Flashes in the lead, 68-66. He then hit his final two free throw shots that secured the Flashes' win. On the season, Walker is averaging 25.4 points per game and is shooting 33-of-60 (55 percent) from 3-point range and 54-of-116 (46.6) from the floor.
MAC West Division Player of the Week
Michael Flowers, Western Michigan
Guard, Sophomore, Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&T)
Sophomore guard Michael Flowers flirted with a triple double on Sunday against UC Riverside. Flowers had a game-high 24 points along with eight rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes played. Flowers was 5-of-12 from the field and a staggering 12-of-13 from the free-throw line, including making his final seven free-throws. Flowers’ 12 free-throw makes was a career-high along with a career-high 13 free-throw attempts. It was the seventh straight game that Flowers has scored in double figures and the fifth time this season scoring over 20 points. Flowers leads WMU with 16.2 points per game.
Tayler Persons, Ball State
Guard, Senior, Kokomo, Ind. (Kokomo)
Tayler Persons scored 16 points and handed out seven assists Saturday on Ball State’s record-breaking afternoon against Delaware State. The senior point guard turned in an efficient offensive performance, hitting 4-of-5 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line in just 19 minutes of action. Persons engineered a BSU offense that set program records for most points (116) and largest margin of victory (59) against a Division I opponent in the 116-57 win. He also added four rebounds and a steal. For the season, Persons ranks second in MAC in assists per game (5.2) and seventh in scoring (16.8).
CJ Massinburg, Buffalo
Guard, Senior, Dallas, TX (South Oak Cliff)
Senior CJ Massinburg again led the Bulls in scoring on Saturday night as UB defeated its cross town rival Canisius on the road, 87-72. Massinburg had a game-high 22 points for Buffalo, going 4-of-7 from three point range. Massinburg also recorded seven rebounds including three on the offensive end, while also dishing out three assists.it was the fourth time this season that Massinburg has recorded at least 20 points in a game and the second time in the last three games he has done it. He finished non-conference play averaging 18.3 points per game.
David DiLeo, Central Michigan
Forward, Junior, Iowa City, Iowa (New Hampton School)
Senior forward David DiLeo shot the lights out in leading Central Michigan to its fifth consecutive win and helping keep the Chippewas undefeated at home this season at 7-0 in a 123-76 rout of Indiana University South Bend. DiLeo shot a sterling .750 from the field (9-of-12), including making 6-of-9 3-point attempts, en route to a season-high 24 points. DiLeo has been red hot from 3-point range of late, totaling a combined 11 triples in his last two games. He also pulled down five rebounds against IUSB. DiLeo, who resides in 7th place on the CMU career 3-pointers list with 195, ranks fourth in the MAC in 3s with 35.
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan
Forward, Senior, Baton Rouge, La. (Parkview Baptist)
Senior James Thompson IV proved to be a force underneath for the Eagles as they took on No. 5 Kansas, putting up 15 points while pulling down 14 rebounds in Eastern's loss. The Baton Rouge, La. native shot 5-of-8 from the floor and from the charity stripe, and was a menace on the offensive boards, pulling down seven.
Jason Carter, Ohio
Forward, RS Sophomore, Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe
Redshirt sophomore forward Jason Carter led the Bobcats this past week, helping Ohio to a 68-66 victory over FIU on Dec. 30. Against FIU, Carter scored 19 points while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out three assists. Carter went 8-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from the three point line. Carter scored Ohio's last three points including a free throw to tie the game at 66-66. Then with 2.6 seconds left, Carter would grab an offensive board and connect on a layup, giving Ohio with 68-66 victory, helping the Bobcats finish non conference play with an 8-4 record.
Willie Jackson, Toledo
Forward, Junior, Cleveland, Ohio (Garfield Heights)
Junior forward Willie Jackson scored eight points and tied his career high with 16 rebounds in UT's 77-45 win over Penn. Jackson's work on the boards helped UT to a 45-35 advantage on the glass en route to the Rockets' 10th straight victory. Jackson also was 4-of-6 from the field and helped UT limit Penn to an opponent season-low 30.5 FG%.