The Mid-American Conference on Monday announced its Men’s Basketball Players of the Week. This week’s top honors went to Ohio guard Javarez Willis and Central Michigan guard Chris Fowler.
MAC Men's Basketball East Division Player of the Week
Javarez Willis, Ohio, G
Sr., Homer, La. (Humble Christian Life Center Academy)
Willis (Homer, La.) helped lead the Ohio men's basketball team (9-12, 4-6 MAC) to back-to-back Mid-American Conference victories at the Convocation Center last week, averaging a team-high 26.5 points and 4.0 assists to go along with 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals. He powered the Bobcat attack in a heart-pounding 83-82 triumph over East Division rival Akron last Wednesday (Feb. 4), pouring in a game-high 31 points to match his career high, grabbing a game-high seven rebounds and handing out a game-high five assists in 34 minutes. Willis shot 12-of-18 from the field - including a scorching 6-of-8 from three-point range. He tallied 21 points in the second half, going 8-of-10 - including a percent 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Willis followed that effort up by leading the Bobcats with 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting -- including 6-of-15 from three-point land -- in a 76-73 win over West Division foe Eastern Michigan on Saturday (Feb. 7). He also tallied three assists, three rebounds and a steal. After the performance against the Eagles, Willis has surpassed the 20-point mark five times this season, has reached double figures 14 times this year and 24 times in his career and has led Ohio in scoring a team-high 10 times in 2014-15.
MAC Men's Basketball West Division Player of the Week
Chris Fowler, Central Michigan, Guard
Junior, Southfield, Mich./Detroit Country Day
Fowler had a standout week of play, highlighted by one of the greatest individual performances in Central Michigan program history. On Wednesday, in an overtime battle with Bowling Green, Fowler proved unstoppable, scoring 42 points, which represented 57 percent of CMU's total offensive output, on 14-of-23 shooting (.609). His 42 points set a McGuirk Arena record and were the most by player in the nation that day, the most by a MAC player this season and the third-most in college basketball this season. Fowler was also a factor on the defensive end, drawing four charges, including two after he was whistled for his fourth foul with 9:37 remaining in regulation. In addition to his 42 points, he recorded 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. On Saturday, Fowler led CMU to a win over archrival Western Michigan in front of a sold out McGuirk Arena crowd of 5,350. He fell just short of his third double-double of the season, totaling 17 points and 9 assists. Down by 13 with 13:40 remaining, Fowler rallied CMU to victory, scoring 9 points down the stretch to help secure the Chippewas' 13th home win of the season and claim lone possession of second place in the MAC West. A starter of all 83 games of his career, Fowler ranks No. 1 in the MAC in assists (6.0 apg), No. 3 in scoring (15.8 ppg) and assist/turnover ratio (2.4), No. 4 in steals (1.6 spg) and No. 8 in field goal percentage (.525). Entering play this week, he is just 24 assists shy of becoming CMU's all-time leader.
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MAC Men's Basketball East Division Player of the Week
Javarez Willis, Ohio, G
Sr., Homer, La. (Humble Christian Life Center Academy)
Willis (Homer, La.) helped lead the Ohio men's basketball team (9-12, 4-6 MAC) to back-to-back Mid-American Conference victories at the Convocation Center last week, averaging a team-high 26.5 points and 4.0 assists to go along with 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals. He powered the Bobcat attack in a heart-pounding 83-82 triumph over East Division rival Akron last Wednesday (Feb. 4), pouring in a game-high 31 points to match his career high, grabbing a game-high seven rebounds and handing out a game-high five assists in 34 minutes. Willis shot 12-of-18 from the field - including a scorching 6-of-8 from three-point range. He tallied 21 points in the second half, going 8-of-10 - including a percent 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Willis followed that effort up by leading the Bobcats with 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting -- including 6-of-15 from three-point land -- in a 76-73 win over West Division foe Eastern Michigan on Saturday (Feb. 7). He also tallied three assists, three rebounds and a steal. After the performance against the Eagles, Willis has surpassed the 20-point mark five times this season, has reached double figures 14 times this year and 24 times in his career and has led Ohio in scoring a team-high 10 times in 2014-15.
MAC Men's Basketball West Division Player of the Week
Chris Fowler, Central Michigan, Guard
Junior, Southfield, Mich./Detroit Country Day
Fowler had a standout week of play, highlighted by one of the greatest individual performances in Central Michigan program history. On Wednesday, in an overtime battle with Bowling Green, Fowler proved unstoppable, scoring 42 points, which represented 57 percent of CMU's total offensive output, on 14-of-23 shooting (.609). His 42 points set a McGuirk Arena record and were the most by player in the nation that day, the most by a MAC player this season and the third-most in college basketball this season. Fowler was also a factor on the defensive end, drawing four charges, including two after he was whistled for his fourth foul with 9:37 remaining in regulation. In addition to his 42 points, he recorded 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. On Saturday, Fowler led CMU to a win over archrival Western Michigan in front of a sold out McGuirk Arena crowd of 5,350. He fell just short of his third double-double of the season, totaling 17 points and 9 assists. Down by 13 with 13:40 remaining, Fowler rallied CMU to victory, scoring 9 points down the stretch to help secure the Chippewas' 13th home win of the season and claim lone possession of second place in the MAC West. A starter of all 83 games of his career, Fowler ranks No. 1 in the MAC in assists (6.0 apg), No. 3 in scoring (15.8 ppg) and assist/turnover ratio (2.4), No. 4 in steals (1.6 spg) and No. 8 in field goal percentage (.525). Entering play this week, he is just 24 assists shy of becoming CMU's all-time leader.
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Other Top Performers
Noah Robotham, Akron, Guard
Freshman, Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman)
Robotham helped the Zips to a 1-1 record last week, averaging 10.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds while posting a 9.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (9 assists, 1 turnover). He shot 41.2 percent from the field (7-of-12) and 60.0 percent from long range (6-of-10). In Akron's 83-82 loss at Ohio, Robotham finished with 11 points, four assists and zero turnovers. In the Zips' 75-72 win over Buffalo, Robotham closed the game with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Franko House, Ball State, Forward
Sophomore, Elkhart, Ind. (Concord)
House averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last week against two of the top teams in the MAC. The sophomore forward opened the week with 17 points and nine rebounds Wednesday against Buffalo, while also recording career highs in assists (five) and blocks (three). He followed that performance with a career-high-tying 19 points Saturday against Toledo. House shot 66.7 percent for the week and got to the foul line 20 times, making 15 of them. Over the two games, he scored 36 points on only 15 field goal attempts. House is now averaging 13.0 points per game in MAC play and leading the league in field goal percentage at .617.
Jehvon Clarke, Bowling Green, Guard
Senior, Canton, Ohio (Timken)
Clarke led the Falcons to a 2-0 week in MAC play with both wins coming on the road. Clarke posted a season-high 18 points in back-to-back games to lead the Falcons to road wins at Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. In the closing minutes and overtime period in the Falcons' 76-74 overtime win at CMU, Clarke scored six of his 18 points and hit two key baskets, as well as two vital free throws, to keep the Falcons in front in the win. The senior finished the game with 18 points, four steals, two rebounds and two assists. He followed that performance up with 18 points and two rebounds in a road win at NIU in which he went on a 9-0 run on his own midway through the second half to push the Falcons lead out to double digits. He then hit a jump shot in the lane with 19 seconds to play to keep BGSU in front en route to the four point win. On the week, Clarke led BGSU with an average of 18.0 points per game, on 57.1 percent shooting from the field overall, including 44.4 percent from the three-point line and 80 percent from the charity stripe.
Justin Moss, Buffalo, Forward
Junior, Romulus, Mich. (Romulus)
Moss averaged 19.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as the Bulls split a pair of road contests last week. In the win at Ball State, Moss scored 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds, despite playing just 21 minutes due to foul trouble. He went 6-of-13 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. On Saturday night at Akron, Moss scored 21 points, his 10th 20-point game of the season, while adding six rebounds. In 10 conference games this year, Moss leads the conference at 20.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest.
Raven Lee, Eastern Michigan, Guard
Redshirt-Sophomore, Detroit, Mich. (Romulus)
Lee was dominant in a pair of contests last week for the Eagles. Lee, who totaled 48 points in a pair of games, averaged 24 points per game, while stripping the opponent 1.5 times per contest. The Detroit, Mich. native shot 41.2 percent from the floor, while knocking down 35.3 percent of his three point opportunities. In addition, the 6-foot-3 combo-guard knocked down 14-of-17 free throw attempts, good for an 82.4 free throw percentage.
Devareaux Manley, Kent State, Guard
Oakland, Calif. (Castlemont)
Manley stepped up and averaged 19.0 points per game to help a short-handed Kent State team to a split of its two games this past week to remain in a tie for first place in the Mid-American Conference. Manley showed why he is among the nation's top three-point shooters vs. Western Michigan as shot 6-for-10 from deep on his way to 18 points. Trailing Miami by six with just over two minutes remaining, Manley converted a pair of free throw attempts and then connected on a corner three-pointer to cut the deficit to one and allow the Flashes to win in the final minute. He finished with a game-high 20 points. For the week, Manley shot 10-for-23 (43.5 percent) from the three-point line.
Travon Baker, NIU, Guard
Junior, Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Consortium)
Baker averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals as the Huskies split a pair of games against Miami and Bowling Green. Against the RedHawks, Baker won the game with a runner off glass with 2.4 seconds remaining, capping an 8-0 Huskie run to finish the game as NIU earned a 69-67 victory. Baker scored five of the last eight and finished with 16 points, five assists and two steals, which moved him into eighth in school history with 118 career steals. Baker then netted 20 points, along with three assists and two steals in a four-point setback against Bowling Green. NIU trailed by as much as 13 in the second half but rallied to within one in the final minute. Baker scored nine of his 20 in the final six minutes during NIU's comeback attempt. Baker's two steals also moved him into a tie with Mike Lipnisky (1990-95) for seventh in school history with 120 career steals.
Julius Brown, Toledo, Guard
Senior, Markham, IL/Hillcrest
Brown averaged a team-high 19.5 ppg and 6.0 apg in a pair of Rockets' victories last week. Brown was extremely efficient from the field with a 60.9 field-goal percentage, including a 9-of-14 mark at Ball State. Brown poured in 24 points vs. the Cardinals, including 16 points in the first half to help Toledo jump out to a 42-27 halftime lead. Brown also quarterbacked the Rockets to a 52.5 percent shooting mark for the week. In UT's 84-60 win over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, Brown scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting and dished out six assists while played just 29 minutes.
Noah Robotham, Akron, Guard
Freshman, Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman)
Robotham helped the Zips to a 1-1 record last week, averaging 10.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds while posting a 9.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (9 assists, 1 turnover). He shot 41.2 percent from the field (7-of-12) and 60.0 percent from long range (6-of-10). In Akron's 83-82 loss at Ohio, Robotham finished with 11 points, four assists and zero turnovers. In the Zips' 75-72 win over Buffalo, Robotham closed the game with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Franko House, Ball State, Forward
Sophomore, Elkhart, Ind. (Concord)
House averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last week against two of the top teams in the MAC. The sophomore forward opened the week with 17 points and nine rebounds Wednesday against Buffalo, while also recording career highs in assists (five) and blocks (three). He followed that performance with a career-high-tying 19 points Saturday against Toledo. House shot 66.7 percent for the week and got to the foul line 20 times, making 15 of them. Over the two games, he scored 36 points on only 15 field goal attempts. House is now averaging 13.0 points per game in MAC play and leading the league in field goal percentage at .617.
Jehvon Clarke, Bowling Green, Guard
Senior, Canton, Ohio (Timken)
Clarke led the Falcons to a 2-0 week in MAC play with both wins coming on the road. Clarke posted a season-high 18 points in back-to-back games to lead the Falcons to road wins at Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. In the closing minutes and overtime period in the Falcons' 76-74 overtime win at CMU, Clarke scored six of his 18 points and hit two key baskets, as well as two vital free throws, to keep the Falcons in front in the win. The senior finished the game with 18 points, four steals, two rebounds and two assists. He followed that performance up with 18 points and two rebounds in a road win at NIU in which he went on a 9-0 run on his own midway through the second half to push the Falcons lead out to double digits. He then hit a jump shot in the lane with 19 seconds to play to keep BGSU in front en route to the four point win. On the week, Clarke led BGSU with an average of 18.0 points per game, on 57.1 percent shooting from the field overall, including 44.4 percent from the three-point line and 80 percent from the charity stripe.
Justin Moss, Buffalo, Forward
Junior, Romulus, Mich. (Romulus)
Moss averaged 19.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as the Bulls split a pair of road contests last week. In the win at Ball State, Moss scored 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds, despite playing just 21 minutes due to foul trouble. He went 6-of-13 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. On Saturday night at Akron, Moss scored 21 points, his 10th 20-point game of the season, while adding six rebounds. In 10 conference games this year, Moss leads the conference at 20.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest.
Raven Lee, Eastern Michigan, Guard
Redshirt-Sophomore, Detroit, Mich. (Romulus)
Lee was dominant in a pair of contests last week for the Eagles. Lee, who totaled 48 points in a pair of games, averaged 24 points per game, while stripping the opponent 1.5 times per contest. The Detroit, Mich. native shot 41.2 percent from the floor, while knocking down 35.3 percent of his three point opportunities. In addition, the 6-foot-3 combo-guard knocked down 14-of-17 free throw attempts, good for an 82.4 free throw percentage.
Devareaux Manley, Kent State, Guard
Oakland, Calif. (Castlemont)
Manley stepped up and averaged 19.0 points per game to help a short-handed Kent State team to a split of its two games this past week to remain in a tie for first place in the Mid-American Conference. Manley showed why he is among the nation's top three-point shooters vs. Western Michigan as shot 6-for-10 from deep on his way to 18 points. Trailing Miami by six with just over two minutes remaining, Manley converted a pair of free throw attempts and then connected on a corner three-pointer to cut the deficit to one and allow the Flashes to win in the final minute. He finished with a game-high 20 points. For the week, Manley shot 10-for-23 (43.5 percent) from the three-point line.
Travon Baker, NIU, Guard
Junior, Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Consortium)
Baker averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals as the Huskies split a pair of games against Miami and Bowling Green. Against the RedHawks, Baker won the game with a runner off glass with 2.4 seconds remaining, capping an 8-0 Huskie run to finish the game as NIU earned a 69-67 victory. Baker scored five of the last eight and finished with 16 points, five assists and two steals, which moved him into eighth in school history with 118 career steals. Baker then netted 20 points, along with three assists and two steals in a four-point setback against Bowling Green. NIU trailed by as much as 13 in the second half but rallied to within one in the final minute. Baker scored nine of his 20 in the final six minutes during NIU's comeback attempt. Baker's two steals also moved him into a tie with Mike Lipnisky (1990-95) for seventh in school history with 120 career steals.
Julius Brown, Toledo, Guard
Senior, Markham, IL/Hillcrest
Brown averaged a team-high 19.5 ppg and 6.0 apg in a pair of Rockets' victories last week. Brown was extremely efficient from the field with a 60.9 field-goal percentage, including a 9-of-14 mark at Ball State. Brown poured in 24 points vs. the Cardinals, including 16 points in the first half to help Toledo jump out to a 42-27 halftime lead. Brown also quarterbacked the Rockets to a 52.5 percent shooting mark for the week. In UT's 84-60 win over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, Brown scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting and dished out six assists while played just 29 minutes.
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