This week's honorees are:
East Division: Davonta Jordan (G, Buffalo)
West Division: Tahjai Teague (F, Ball State)
Click Read more for details on these and other outstanding performers . . .
Davonta Jordan, Buffalo, Guard
Senior, Coca, FL (Montverde Academy)
Jordan averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists over two games this week as the Bulls swept their competition with Big 4 wins over Canisius and Niagara. On Wednesday night against the Golden Griffins, Jordan notched a career high in scoring as the Cocoa, FL native scored 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting. He tied his career high with nine rebounds, while adding four assists. On Saturday against Niagara, Jordan finished with a game-high eight assists and defensively he had a pair of blocks. For the season, he is averaging 13.8 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, per contest and 67 assists.
MAC West Division Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Tahjai Teague, Ball State, Forward
Senior, Indianapolis, Ind. (Pike)
Teague averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game last week as Ball State split a pair of games against power conference opponents. He helped the Cardinals to their second-ever true ACC road win (and second in three years) in one game and recorded a double-double against a top-25 team in the other. Teague turned in a well-rounded performance on both ends of the floor Wednesday in Ball State’s rout of Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Offensively, he scored nine points on 4-of-7 shooting and matched his career-high with six assists. Defensively, he keyed a BSU effort that limited Georgia Tech to a season-low 47 points and a season-worst 33 percent shooting. The Cardinals led the Yellow Jackets by as many as 30 points in the closing minutes. Teague then posted his fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds against No. 22 Washington in Sunday’s opening round of the Diamond Head Classic. He did it while matching up inside against a pair of projected NBA first-round picks in Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels, helping to keep the Cardinals within reach until the Huskies pulled away late. Teague shot 54.5 percent (12-for-22) from the floor for the week while also adding three steals and a pair of blocked shots.
Other Top Performances
Channel Banks, Akron, Guard
Senior, Las Vegas, Nev.
Banks scored 31 points in two games while shooting 57.1 percent from beyond the 3-point arc in Akron’s 1-1 week at the DC Holiday Hoops Fest. Banks averaged 15.5 points for the week, contributing 14 points in Akron’s 62-61 win over Tulane and followed with a 17-point total in the championship game vs Liberty (80-67). Banks went 8-of-14 from deep, knocking down 3-of-5 (game 1) and 5-of-8 (game 2) 3-point field goals. He added a 5-of-7 showing from the charity stripe while grabbing eight rebounds, three steals and three assists.
Phil Whittington, Kent State, Forward
Senior, Los Angeles, Calif.
Whittington helped the Flashes improve to 10-2 overall on the season over the last week. Whittington scored a career-high 29 points against North Carolina A&T for an 85-71 overtime win in the WestStar Bank Sun Bowl Invite. 21 of his 29 points were scored in the first half. Alongside his 29 points, Whittington grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Whittington was also named to the All-Tournament team. In the opening game in the tournament, he put up nine points and had five rebounds against UC Irvine. Against Hampton, he scored eight points and grabbed four boards.
Nike Sibande, Miami, Guard
Junior Indianapolis, Ind. (Crispus Attucks)
Sibande gutted through an injury to lead the RedHawks this past week. After finishing with five points, four assists and three rebounds in Miami's game against third ranked Louisville on Wednesday, he was at his best in the victory over Bradley on Saturday. Sibande had his second double-double of the season with 18 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds. He added two assists and a steal in 28 minutes of action.
Jordan Dartis, Ohio, Guard
R-Senior, Newark, Ohio (Newark)
Dartis led the Bobcats this past week to help Ohio go 1-1 and improve to 8-4 overall. Dartis averaged 20.5 points per game, while grabbing 2.0 rebounds and dishing out 2.5 assists per game. Dartis went 14-of-28 (.500) from the field, 8-of-19 (.421) from three point range and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line. On Dec. 17 against Purdue, Dartis led Ohio, scoring 16 points, while going 6-of-15 from the field, 3-of-9 from three-point range and 1-for-1 from the free throw line in the 69-51 loss. Then on Dec. 21 against Morehead State, Dartis was clutch, scoring 25 points, going 8-of-13 from the field, 5-of-10 from three-point range and was 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the Bobcats 82-76 victory. Dartis also grabbed three rebounds, dished out two assists and had one steal.
Willie Jackson, Toledo, Forward
Senior Cleveland, Ohio (Garfield Heights)
Jackson averaged a double-double in two games last week, totaling 14.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. Jackson tallied season high point totals in both of the Rockets' games. He opened the week with a 14-point, 15-rebound effort at Kansas City and followed that up by notching 15 points and nine rebounds vs. Wright State.