INDIANAPOLIS -- Sending Butler to a comeback win over Purdue, junior forward Andrew Smith (Indianapolis, Ind./Covenant Christian) has been named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, for the week of Dec. 12-18. The accolade is the first of Smith’s career.
Smith lifted Butler (5-6, 0-1 Horizon) to a 67-65 victory against Purdue in the Close the Gap Crossroads Classic, tying for the team lead with 12 points and adding six rebounds. A Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection, the junior’s final rebound and basket came on a tip-in with 1.0 second on the clock, helping the Bulldogs snap a three-game losing streak.
In 22 minutes, Smith went 4-for-5 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line. With a block and a steal, Smith was part of a defensive effort that held Purdue without a field goal in the final 8:48 of play. Smith keyed Butler’s comeback from an 11-point halftime deficit with eight points and four boards in 12 minutes in the second half.
Butler heads on the road for two televised non-conference games this week. ESPN2 will have coverage of the Bulldogs’ trip to Gonzaga on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 9 p.m. ET. On Thursday, Butler meets Stanford, with Fox Sports Net carrying the game, which tips at 9 p.m. ET.
Top Performers for the Week:
-- Eli Holman, Detroit (Sr., F) - In just 17 minutes, Holman nearly tallied a double-double against No. 17/16 Mississippi State, recording 12 points and nine rebounds. Holman Helped the Titans rally to tie the game in the final minute with a block and an assist. In his three games, the senior is averaging 14.0 ppg and 8.3 rpg.
-- Alec Brown, Green Bay (So., C) - Brown reached the 100-block mark in his 43rd career game as Green Bay pushed past visiting Michigan Tech, 69-61. In the win, Brown notched 20 points and nine boards as well, giving him consecutive 20-point efforts.
-- Ben Averkamp, Loyola (Jr., F) - Averkamp stayed hot as Loyola knocked off visiting Chicago State, 64-49, on Saturday, recording his third career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League pick has scored in double digits in five of the last six games and in the last two outings is contributing 26.0 ppg and 8.5 rpg.
-- Tony Meier, Milwaukee (Sr., F) - Moving back into the starting lineup this week, Meier led the Panthers in scoring against both No. 14/15 Wisconsin and Nebraska-Omaha. In a narrow 60-54 setback to Wisconsin, Meier posted 15 points, including a stretch in which he had 12 of Milwaukee’s 13 to lead a Panthers’ comeback to tie the game late. On Saturday, Meier had 19 points in just 21 minutes as Milwaukee blew past Nebraska-Omaha, 86-50.
-- Daniel Barnes, UIC (Jr., G) - Barnes, who ranks second in the Horizon League in three-point field goals made, averaged 14.0 points per game in UIC’s two road games against Oregon State and Central Michigan last week. Against the Chippewas, Barnes poured in a career-high 20 points on four three-pointers. He missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Barnes has connected on three or more triples in four individual games this season.
-- Kevin Van Wijk, Valparaiso (Jr., F) - Van Wijk dominated the low block for Valparaiso, matching his career high with 22 points in an 82-80 setback to Oakland. In 27 minutes, Van Wijk was 8-for-9 from the floor, collecting eight rebounds. The forward is tied for 18th nationally with a 67.1 field-goal percentage.
-- Blake Allen, Youngstown State (Jr., F) - In an 86-77 loss at Toledo, Allen led Youngstown State with 22 points, knocking down four three-pointers and adding a career-best four steals. In 10 games this year, Allen leads the Penguins with 35 three-pointers and is shooting 46.1 percent from behind the three-point arc.
Men’s Basketball Players of the Week:
November 14: D’Aundray Brown, Cleveland State
November 21: Kevin Van Wijk, Valparaiso
November 28: James Haarsma, Milwaukee
December 5: DuShawn Brooks, Youngstown State
December 12: Trey Harmon, Cleveland State
December 19: Andrew Smith, Butler
Tags: Butler - Men's Basketball
