INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Jhonathan Dunn of Southern Nazarene University (Bethany, Okla.) and McKayla Roberts of Le Moyne College (Syracuse, N.Y.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending January 19.
Dunn, a senior guard, claimed his second Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after he averaged 35.0 points and 6.0 rebounds to lead the Crimson Storm to a pair of Great American Conference wins over Oklahoma Baptist and East Central last week. In the opening game of the week, a 79-62 win over Oklahoma Baptist, Dunn scored 28 points to become the first player in GAC mens basketball history to reach the 2,000-point career scoring plateau. He added a career-high 42 points in the 88-63 win over East Central, lifting Southern Nazarene to its fourth straight win and a 13-5 overall record (7-3 in the GAC).
Dunn shot 67 percent (26-for-39) from the field on the week, including a 53 percent (8-for-15) clip from three-point range, and he knocked down 10-of-12 free throws (83 percent). In his 42-point performance against East Central, he made 17-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-8 three-pointers and 3-of-4 free throws. He added 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the win.
Dunn, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard, is the Division II national scoring leader with 514 total points, and he ranks second nationally in total field goals made (183) and total three-pointers made (70). He also ranks second in scoring average with 28.6 points per game, recording 17 20-point performances in 18 games this season.
Dunn is one of two players from the Great American Conference to earn USBWA Mens Division II National Player of the Week honors this season, and he is the second player to earn two Division II national player of the week honors this season.
Roberts, a senior guard, was named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week after averaging 33.0 points on 63.6 percent shooting, including 14-of-22 from three-point range, 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals in the Dolphins 2-0 week.
Roberts opened the week with a double-double of a then season-high 27 points, a season-best 10 assists, four rebounds and two steals in an 83-52 win on Tuesday over Franklin Pierce University. She finished 9-of-14 from the field, including 7-of-11 from beyond the arc.
In Saturdays 77-71 win at Southern New Hampshire University, the North Syracuse, N.Y. native netted seven more long balls en route to a program-record 39 points, finishing 12-of-19 from the field, to go with five assists and six rebounds.
Roberts ranks fourth in the NE-10 in scoring with 18.0 points per game, but is averaging 21.0 points per game in nine league contests.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division II.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2019-20 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 10: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Brianna Purcell, Saint Michael's College
· Week ending Nov. 17: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Kayla Marosites, Carson-Newman University
· Week ending Nov. 24: Pat Dembley, UT Permian Basin and Kwanza Murray, Lincoln University
· Week ending Dec. 1: Hasan Varence, Ohio Dominican University and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Dec. 8: Peyton Wejnert, Pace University and Taisha DeShazo, Catawba College
· Week ending Dec. 15: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and Jamiyah Johnson, Davis & Elkins College
· Week ending Dec. 29: Kevin Buckingham, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Peyton Steinman, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Jan. 5: Jordan Floyd, King University and Mar'Shalia Lollie, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
· Week ending Jan. 12: Sekou Sylla, The College of Saint Rose and Sylvia Hudson, Urbana University
· Week ending Jan. 19: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and McKayla Roberts, Le Moyne College
· Week ending Jan. 26: Eamonn Joyce, Southern New Hampshire University and Tyra James, Urbana University
· Week ending Feb. 2: Winston Hill, Francis Marion University and Alexy Mollenhauer, Anderson University
· Week ending Feb. 9: Jordan Floyd, King University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
· Week ending Feb. 16: Brian Halums, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University
· Week ending Feb. 23: Brandon Myer, University of Minnesota Duluth and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending March 1: Robbie Heath, West Chester University and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University