The Mid-American Conference today announced its Men’s Basketball Players of the week. This week’s honorees are Antonio Campbell (Sr, Fwd, Ohio) and Jonathan Williams (Sr, G, Toledo)
MAC East Division Men’s Basketball Co-Players of the Week
Antonio Campbell, Ohio, Forward
Senior, Cincinnati, Ohio (Holy Cross)
Campbell (Cincinnati, Ohio) has helped the Ohio men's basketball team (10-3, 2-0 MAC) start 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since 2013 after averaging a team-high 20.0 points per game on of a team-best 58.3 percent (14-of-24) shooting from the field and 8.5 rebounds per game over the opening week of league play. Led by Campbell's sixth double-double of the season, Ohio cruised past West Division foe Western Michigan, 89-58, and took its MAC opener at Convocation Center last Tuesday (Jan. 3). He went 7-of-12 from the field with a career-high six made three-pointers en route to 22 points to lead all scorers, marking his fifth 20-point effort of the year. He also grabbed 12 boards and contributed two assists and a steal in 27 minutes. Campbell followed up that effort by scoring 18 points and contributing five boards, a block and an assist in just 20 minutes of play as he battled foul trouble throughout the night as the Bobcats dominated East Division rival Kent State on national television, 85-67, last Friday (Jan. 6) at the Convocation Center.
MAC West Division Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Jonathan Williams, Toledo, Guard
Senior, Southfield, MI (Southfield-Lathrup)
Williams helped the Rockets to a pair of victories to open the Mid-American Conference season by averaging 25.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Williams was extremely efficient for the Rockets as he posted a 65.2 field-goal percentage (15-of-23), a 60.0 three-point FG% (6-of-10) and a 78.9 free-throw percentage (15-of-19). Williams tallied 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting to lead UT to an 88-56 triumph over Buffalo on Tuesday to give the Midnight Blue and Gold its largest margin of victory ever in a conference opener. He followed that up by hitting 7-of-11 shots from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range en route to a 25-point outing in a 91-76 victory over Miami on Saturday. Williams, who ranks second in the MAC this season with 20.6 points per game, has scored 20 or more points in eight straight games and has led UT in scoring in seven consecutive contests.
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MAC East Division Men’s Basketball Co-Players of the Week
Antonio Campbell, Ohio, Forward
Senior, Cincinnati, Ohio (Holy Cross)
Campbell (Cincinnati, Ohio) has helped the Ohio men's basketball team (10-3, 2-0 MAC) start 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since 2013 after averaging a team-high 20.0 points per game on of a team-best 58.3 percent (14-of-24) shooting from the field and 8.5 rebounds per game over the opening week of league play. Led by Campbell's sixth double-double of the season, Ohio cruised past West Division foe Western Michigan, 89-58, and took its MAC opener at Convocation Center last Tuesday (Jan. 3). He went 7-of-12 from the field with a career-high six made three-pointers en route to 22 points to lead all scorers, marking his fifth 20-point effort of the year. He also grabbed 12 boards and contributed two assists and a steal in 27 minutes. Campbell followed up that effort by scoring 18 points and contributing five boards, a block and an assist in just 20 minutes of play as he battled foul trouble throughout the night as the Bobcats dominated East Division rival Kent State on national television, 85-67, last Friday (Jan. 6) at the Convocation Center.
MAC West Division Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Jonathan Williams, Toledo, Guard
Senior, Southfield, MI (Southfield-Lathrup)
Williams helped the Rockets to a pair of victories to open the Mid-American Conference season by averaging 25.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Williams was extremely efficient for the Rockets as he posted a 65.2 field-goal percentage (15-of-23), a 60.0 three-point FG% (6-of-10) and a 78.9 free-throw percentage (15-of-19). Williams tallied 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting to lead UT to an 88-56 triumph over Buffalo on Tuesday to give the Midnight Blue and Gold its largest margin of victory ever in a conference opener. He followed that up by hitting 7-of-11 shots from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range en route to a 25-point outing in a 91-76 victory over Miami on Saturday. Williams, who ranks second in the MAC this season with 20.6 points per game, has scored 20 or more points in eight straight games and has led UT in scoring in seven consecutive contests.
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Other Top Performances
Isaiah Johnson, Akron, Center
Senior, Cincinnati, Ohio (Walnut Hills)
Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) helped Akron extend the nation's third longest home winning streak to 25 games at James A. Rhodes Arena by leading the Akron Zips to a 2-0 start in Mid-American Conference play with wins over Bowling Green (89-84) and Western Michigan (66-59). Against Bowling Green, Johnson was Akron's third leading scorer with 16 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor for a 77.8 field goal percentage. In 29 minutes of action, he notched a career-high eight assists to go along with eight rebounds. Johnson visited the free throw line four times and drilled two bonus buckets. Against Western Michigan, Johnson turned in his third double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He shot 60 percent from the floor, draining 6-of-10 shots while adding three assists, a block and a steal. He added four points from the charity stripe on eight attempts. For the week, Johnson shot 68.4 percent from the field (13-of-19) en route to scoring 32 points (16 ppg). He pulled down 21 rebounds (10.5 rebs/g) and dished out 11 assists (5.5 ast/g) with a block and a steal. Johnson finished the week 6-of-12 from the free throw line.
Tayler Persons, Ball State, Guard
Sophomore, Kokomo, Ind. (Kokomo)
Persons averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 assists per game last week to lead Ball State offensively. He also pulled down 4.0 rebounds and grabbed 2.0 steals per game. Persons scored 16 points and handed out a game-high eight assists in Tuesday's MAC opener at Kent State. He followed that performance with 21 points Saturday against Bowling Green. It was Persons' fourth game of the season with more than 20 points. He leads the Cardinals for the season at 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game.
Demajeo Wiggins, Bowling Green, Forward
Sophomore, Toledo, Ohio (Springfield)
Wiggins opened up MAC play with two big-time performances. In games at Akron (Jan. 3) and at Ball State (Jan. 7), Wiggins averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 57.1 percent (16-of-28) from the floor and 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from the free throw line. In the MAC opener against the Zips, the Toledo native went 10-for-17 from the field and scored a career-high 21 points. Wiggins then went 6-for-11 from the floor at Ball State to finish with 17 points. In both games, he had eight rebounds. Wiggins' 10 field goals at Akron was also a career high, and at Ball State, he had 15 points and seven rebounds in the second half. Wiggins is now averaging 10.7 points and 7.5 rebounds after averaging 4.6 and 4.4 last season as a freshman.
Blake Hamilton, Buffalo, Wing
Senior, Pasadena, CA (Pasadena)
Hamilton averaged 15.0 points per game as the Bulls split their two MAC games to open conference play last week. Hamilton had a game-high 21 points in the victory over Eastern Michigan, going a career-best 12-of-12 from the free throw line. In all, Hamilton hit all 15 free throws on the week. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block during the week. Hamilton leads the Bulls in scoring at 16.9 points per game.
Baylee Steele, Eastern Michigan, Center
Sophomore, Norwalk, Iowa (Norwalk)
Steele had a pair of career games for the Eagles against Central Michigan, Jan. 3, and Buffalo, Jan. 7. Steele, who had yet to score in double digits, posted 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds against CMU, marking the first double-double of his career. Against Buffalo, the sophomore finished with 12 points and six rebounds, giving him back-to-back double digit scoring games for the first time in his career. Through the two games, Steele shot 82.4 percent from the floor, going 14-of-17, in addition to also chipping in a pair of steals. Additionally, the Norwalk, Iowa native connected on each of his two free throws, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds a game to open the Mid-American Conference campaign.
Jimmy Hall, Kent State, Forward
Senior, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hall led the Flashes this week by nearly averaging a double-double. He scored 15.5 points per game and collected 9.5 rebounds a game. Against Ball State, he scored 20 points against the Cardinals, and led the Golden Flashes with nine rebounds and five assists without a turnover. He was a catalyst behind the team's 31 free throws without a miss, going 8-for-8 from the line. At Ohio, he was the team's leading rebounder and secured a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Overall, he shot 10-for-12 from the foul line and continued to dominate the offensive glass, pulling down eight offensive boards.
Logan McLane, Miami, Forward
Junior, Winterville, N.C. (Greenfield School)
McLane had two huge games for Miami to open MAC play. In the win over NIU, he nearly had a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds, finishing 7-for-11 from the field. He also had two assists, a block and a steal in 32 minutes of action. Against Toledo on Saturday, McLane recorded a career-high 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting. He had eight rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 34 minutes of action. McLane shot .667 from the field for the week, and is now averaging a career-best 11.5 points per game this season.
Marin Maric, NIU, Center
Senior, Split, Croatia (La Lumiere School)
Maric averaged 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as the Huskies split a pair of games against Miami and Central Michigan to open conference play. Maric scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the league opener at Miami before returning home to score a team-high 17 points with nine rebounds and three assists in a victory over Central Michigan.
Isaiah Johnson, Akron, Center
Senior, Cincinnati, Ohio (Walnut Hills)
Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) helped Akron extend the nation's third longest home winning streak to 25 games at James A. Rhodes Arena by leading the Akron Zips to a 2-0 start in Mid-American Conference play with wins over Bowling Green (89-84) and Western Michigan (66-59). Against Bowling Green, Johnson was Akron's third leading scorer with 16 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor for a 77.8 field goal percentage. In 29 minutes of action, he notched a career-high eight assists to go along with eight rebounds. Johnson visited the free throw line four times and drilled two bonus buckets. Against Western Michigan, Johnson turned in his third double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He shot 60 percent from the floor, draining 6-of-10 shots while adding three assists, a block and a steal. He added four points from the charity stripe on eight attempts. For the week, Johnson shot 68.4 percent from the field (13-of-19) en route to scoring 32 points (16 ppg). He pulled down 21 rebounds (10.5 rebs/g) and dished out 11 assists (5.5 ast/g) with a block and a steal. Johnson finished the week 6-of-12 from the free throw line.
Tayler Persons, Ball State, Guard
Sophomore, Kokomo, Ind. (Kokomo)
Persons averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 assists per game last week to lead Ball State offensively. He also pulled down 4.0 rebounds and grabbed 2.0 steals per game. Persons scored 16 points and handed out a game-high eight assists in Tuesday's MAC opener at Kent State. He followed that performance with 21 points Saturday against Bowling Green. It was Persons' fourth game of the season with more than 20 points. He leads the Cardinals for the season at 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game.
Demajeo Wiggins, Bowling Green, Forward
Sophomore, Toledo, Ohio (Springfield)
Wiggins opened up MAC play with two big-time performances. In games at Akron (Jan. 3) and at Ball State (Jan. 7), Wiggins averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 57.1 percent (16-of-28) from the floor and 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from the free throw line. In the MAC opener against the Zips, the Toledo native went 10-for-17 from the field and scored a career-high 21 points. Wiggins then went 6-for-11 from the floor at Ball State to finish with 17 points. In both games, he had eight rebounds. Wiggins' 10 field goals at Akron was also a career high, and at Ball State, he had 15 points and seven rebounds in the second half. Wiggins is now averaging 10.7 points and 7.5 rebounds after averaging 4.6 and 4.4 last season as a freshman.
Blake Hamilton, Buffalo, Wing
Senior, Pasadena, CA (Pasadena)
Hamilton averaged 15.0 points per game as the Bulls split their two MAC games to open conference play last week. Hamilton had a game-high 21 points in the victory over Eastern Michigan, going a career-best 12-of-12 from the free throw line. In all, Hamilton hit all 15 free throws on the week. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block during the week. Hamilton leads the Bulls in scoring at 16.9 points per game.
Baylee Steele, Eastern Michigan, Center
Sophomore, Norwalk, Iowa (Norwalk)
Steele had a pair of career games for the Eagles against Central Michigan, Jan. 3, and Buffalo, Jan. 7. Steele, who had yet to score in double digits, posted 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds against CMU, marking the first double-double of his career. Against Buffalo, the sophomore finished with 12 points and six rebounds, giving him back-to-back double digit scoring games for the first time in his career. Through the two games, Steele shot 82.4 percent from the floor, going 14-of-17, in addition to also chipping in a pair of steals. Additionally, the Norwalk, Iowa native connected on each of his two free throws, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds a game to open the Mid-American Conference campaign.
Jimmy Hall, Kent State, Forward
Senior, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hall led the Flashes this week by nearly averaging a double-double. He scored 15.5 points per game and collected 9.5 rebounds a game. Against Ball State, he scored 20 points against the Cardinals, and led the Golden Flashes with nine rebounds and five assists without a turnover. He was a catalyst behind the team's 31 free throws without a miss, going 8-for-8 from the line. At Ohio, he was the team's leading rebounder and secured a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Overall, he shot 10-for-12 from the foul line and continued to dominate the offensive glass, pulling down eight offensive boards.
Logan McLane, Miami, Forward
Junior, Winterville, N.C. (Greenfield School)
McLane had two huge games for Miami to open MAC play. In the win over NIU, he nearly had a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds, finishing 7-for-11 from the field. He also had two assists, a block and a steal in 32 minutes of action. Against Toledo on Saturday, McLane recorded a career-high 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting. He had eight rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 34 minutes of action. McLane shot .667 from the field for the week, and is now averaging a career-best 11.5 points per game this season.
Marin Maric, NIU, Center
Senior, Split, Croatia (La Lumiere School)
Maric averaged 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as the Huskies split a pair of games against Miami and Central Michigan to open conference play. Maric scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the league opener at Miami before returning home to score a team-high 17 points with nine rebounds and three assists in a victory over Central Michigan.
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