More honors for NIU guard Silas
DEKALB — Northern Illinois senior guard Xavier Silas was named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week for his performances against Akron and Buffalo.
Silas averaged 29.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in those two games last week.
It is the fifth time Silas has earned MAC West Player of the Week honors this season. Silas was also honored on Nov. 22, Nov. 29, Dec. 19 and Jan. 17.
Silas and Kent State’s Justin Greene are the only two players in the MAC to have been named Player of the Week five times this season.
Wednesday against Akron, Silas had 39 points, one shy of his career-high, as the Huskies defeated the Zips, 83-74. Silas went 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from the floor in the contest, including 5-of-9 (55.6 percent) from beyond the three-point line, and also made 16-of-20 free throws as the Huskies won their third in the last four against Akron. Silas also grabbed a season-best 8 rebounds and had a pair of steals in the win.
Three days later at Buffalo, Silas scored a team-high 20 points as the Huskies fell, 63-52, to the Bulls. The performance was Silas’ 14th 20-plus point game of the season, and the 27th of his collegiate career. Silas went 12-of-13 from the free-throw line against Buffalo and also grabbed 5 rebounds in the game.
Silas and Brigham Young’s Jimmer Fredette are the only two players in the country to have multiple games of 39-or-more points scored.
On the season, Silas is averaging 24.2 points per game, tied for second in the nation with Connecticut’s Kemba Walker.
Silas and the Huskies return home to the NIU Convocation Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday to host Bowling Green.