Named the Most Valuable Player of the Maui Invitational Regional Round, Cal Poly senior Joel Awich (St. Paul, Minn./Tartan HS) received the nod as Big West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.
The 6-7 forward led the Mustangs to a 3-0 record last week, including neutral court victories over Austin Peay (73-64) and UMBC (78-65) in the Maui Invitational. He averaged a team-leading 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 58.3 percent (21-for-36) from the field and 64.3 percent (9-for-14).
Awich equalled his career high with 19 points against Austin Peay to go along wiht six rebounds and a blocked shot. Against UMBC, he produced 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a block. Awich shot 7-for-11 from the field against both the Governors and Retrievers, and hit a combined seven treys in the wins.
In a 71-62 triumph over Cal State Monterey Bay, Awich notched 17 points, six rebounds and a steal, adding a pair of three-pointers as part of a 7-for-14 shooting performance.
Through four games, Awich is shooting a torrid 11-for-22 from three-point territory and is tied for third in the Big West in made three-point field goals.
Others nominated: Tre’Coggins (Cal State Fullerton); Olalekan Ajayi (CSUN); Nick Faust (Long Beach State); Josh Fox (UC Davis); Luke Nelson (UC Irvine); Jaylen Bland (UC Riverside); Aaron Valdes (Hawai‘i)