APSU Sports Information
Brentwood, TN – Following a career-high 35-point outing for the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team, senior forward Averyl Ugba was named the adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week, Monday.
Ugba, of Silver Spring, Maryland, notched his season’s fifth double-double with a 35-point, 11-rebound performance that led the Governors to their first road win this season.
He made 81 percent (17-of-21) of his field goals, including his fifth three-pointer of the campaign.
It was the most points scored by a Govs player this season and most since Josh Robinson‘s 36-point outburst against Eastern Illinois last season.
The career-best outing followed Ugba’s 16-point, six-rebound effort in Austin Peay’s OVC road opener at Tennessee Tech, Thursday. He powered his way to 16 points thanks to an 8-of-8 outing at the free-throw line.
Ugba finished the week averaging 25.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two games, making more than 65 percent (21-of-32) of his field goals while chipping in two assists and two blocks per game. After three weeks of conference play, he is the only OVC player ranked among the league’s top three in both scoring (19.2 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) in league play.
It is the second time this season Ugba has been recognized as the league’s Player of the Week, after sharing the January 2nd award. It is the fourth consecutive week – and fifth time this season – he has been named the league’s Newcomer of the Week and fifth time this season.
Austin Peay has been represented on the OVC’s weekly awards list in eight of the season’s 10 weeks. It also is the fourth time the Govs have taken at least a share of two of the three honors. Joining Ugba among the Govs earning league’s weekly honors are Terry Taylor and Dayton Gumm, who have combined to win Freshman of the Week honors four times this season.
The Governors continue their pivotal four-game OVC road trip this week with a pair of trips to Nashville. First up is a 7:30pm, Thursday, January 18th contest at Tennessee State before Austin Peay meets preseason favorite Belmont in a 5:00pm, Saturday, January 20th contest.
