Horizon League Men's Basketball Players of the Week (Jan. 9)

INDIANAPOLIS – Northern Kentucky’s Drew McDonald led all league players in scoring and rebounding last week and has been named Horizon League Player of the Week. The sophomore forward averaged 26 points and 12.5 rebounds per game with outings of 37 points and 10 rebounds and 15 points and 15 rebounds. Mason Faulkner averaged 20 points, four rebounds and four assists per game for NKU and has been tabbed Horizon League Freshman of the Week.

Player of the Week | Drew McDonald | Northern Kentucky | Soph. | Forward | Cold Spring, Ky.
McDonald led all league players in points (26) and rebounds (12.5) last week, posting back-to-back double-doubles - which takes his streak to three-straight games with a double-double. He started with 15 points and career-high 15 rebounds (tied for second-most in Horizon League this year) against Youngstown State and followed with a career-high 37 points, including 30 in the first half, and 10 rebounds against Cleveland State.

McDonald's 37 points are a Division-I era record for NKU and the most for the program since Dec. 23, 2009, when David Palmer scored 39 against UC Clermont. The 37 points are also the third-most scored in the league this season.

The award is McDonald’s second Player of the Week honor of the season and for his career.

2016-17 Horizon League Players of the Week
Nov. 14 – Mark Alstork, Wright State
Nov. 21 – Mark Alstork, Wright State
Nov. 28 – Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 5 –  Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky | Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 12 – Lavone Holland II, Northern Kentucky
Dec. 19 – Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 26 – Tai Odiase, UIC 
Jan. 2 – Charles Cooper, Green Bay
Jan. 9 – Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky

Freshman of the Week | Mason Faulkner | Northern Kentucky | Guard | Glasgow, Ky.
Faulkner averaged 20 points, four rebounds and four assists per game in two Northern Kentucky wins last week. He dropped career-high 24 points against Youngstown State on Thursday, his third straight game setting a new career-high. The freshman also totaled six rebounds, four assists and two steals in the win.

He followed with 16 points, four assists and three boards in the win over Cleveland State to help NKU to the team’s 12th win of the year. After failing to reach double-figures in the first 12 games of his career, Faulkner has reached the mark in each of the last three games.

This is the first Freshman of the Week honor for Faulkner. He is the second NKU player to earn the league’s weekly freshman honor this season (Carson Williams, Nov. 14 and Dec. 19).

2016-17 Horizon League Freshman of the Week
Nov. 14 – Carson Williams, Northern Kentucky
Nov. 21 – Marcus Ottey, UIC
Nov. 28 – Isaiah Brock, Oakland
Dec. 5 – Corey Allen, Detroit Mercy
Dec. 12 – Isaiah Brock, Oakland
Dec. 19 – Carson Williams, Northern Kentucky
Dec. 26 – Godwin Boahen, UIC
Jan. 2 – Braun Hartfield, Youngstown State
Jan. 9 – Mason Faulkner, Northern Kentucky