University of North Dakota junior Quinton Hooker was named the Big Sky Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week after a stellar performance last week that included UND’s first triple-double.
Hooker, a native of Brooklyn Park, Minn., led the Fighting Hawks to wins over Idaho State and then league-leader Weber State. With the two victories, UND moved into a tie for third place in the Big Sky standings. He averaged 15.5 points, seven rebounds and six assists last week while adding two blocks and a steal.
In Thursday’s 16-point win over Idaho State, Hooker scored 13 points, pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds and matched a career-high with 10 assists to record the first triple-double in UND history.
Defensively, he matched up with reigning Big Sky Player of the Week Geno Luzcando, limiting the Bengals’ sophomore to 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting from the floor. Luzcando scored 30 points in each of the games proceeding and following ISU’s loss to UND.
On Saturday, Hooker’s 18 points and four free throws in the closing minute helped UND secure its first win over Weber State in nine attempts. The junior captain went 6-of-10 from the field and finished the game with a pair of assists and two rebounds.
UND (12-10, 7-4 BSC) is currently tied with Eastern Washington for third in the Big Sky standings. The four teams atop the conference table at the end of the regular season earn a first-round bye in the upcoming Big Sky Conference tournament. The Fighting Hawks topped the Eagles in Grand Forks, N.D. 79-71 in their first meeting and will have a chance to seal the tiebreaker over last year’s conference champ Thursday, February 11 as the Hawks travel to Cheney, Wash.
Others nominated: Jeremy Senglin – Weber State; Martin Breunig – Montana; Mike Green – Northern Arizona; Anthony Johnson – Northern Colorado; Justin Strings – Sacramento State; Geno Luzcando – Idaho State; Bogdan Bliznyuk – Eastern Washington; Isaiah Pineiro – Portland State.
Press release courtesy of Jason Ashcraft – Big Sky Conference. All Rights Reserved.
