INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Patrick Cartier of Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, Mich.) and Zyaire Ewing of Delta State University (Cleveland, Miss.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending Feb. 7.
Cartier, a sophomore forward, averaged 28.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3 assists while leading Hillsdale to victories over Cedarville and No. 6-ranked Findlay last week. Cartier scored 30 points and grabbed 8 rebounds to lead Hillsdale to an 83-79 double-overtime win over Cedarville, and he scored 27 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists to give the Chargers a Top-10 win with an 82-71 victory over No. 6-ranked Findlay on Feb. 6.
Cartier shot 75 percent (18-for-24) from the field for the week, missing just 3 attempts in each contest, and he was 77 percent (20-for-26) from the free throw line on the week. With the victories, Hillsdale improved to 13-1 on the season and extended its winning streak to 10 games while claiming sole possession of first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference standings.
The a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from Brookfield, Wis., claimed his fourth GMAC Player of the Week award with his performance, and he is the league leader in scoring average (19.9 points per game) and field goal percentage (.643). He ranks 11th nationally in field goal percentage, and he is the national leader in field goal percentage among players with at least 100 field goals made.
Zyaire Ewing of Delta State University has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Womens Division II National Player of the Week for games played Feb. 1-7.
Ewing, a senior forward was named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Week after posting three double-doubles and averaging 23.7 points and 18 rebounds per game.
The Natchez, Miss., native began the week with 15 points and 17 rebounds in a 64-42 home win over the University of Alabama Huntsville.
Ewing then averaged 28 points and 18.5 rebounds in a split with Christian Brothers. She tallied 25 points and set a new career-high with 21 rebounds in the 78-64 game winner before closing out the series with a career-high 31 points and 16 rebounds despite an 83-74 loss. Of her 37 rebounds in those two games, 13 were on the offensive end.
Ewing shot an even 50 percent (29-of-58) from the field on the week and was 13-of-19 (68 percent) at the free-throw line.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the seventh 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.
2020-21 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Jan. 10: Chandler Jacobs, Dallas
Baptist University and Sydney Kin, University of Findlay
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Week ending Jan. 17: Chandler Jacobs, Dallas
Baptist University and Breanna Diestelkamp, University of Missouri-St. Louis
· Week ending Jan. 24: Parker Fox, Northern
State University and Mayci Sales, Walsh University
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Week ending Jan. 31: Cam Martin, Missouri Southern
State University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
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Week ending Feb. 7: Patrick Cartier, Hillsdale
College and Zyaire Ewing, Delta State University
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Week ending Feb. 14: Isaiah Reddish, Barton
College and Brooklyn Pannell, University of Charleston
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Week ending Feb. 21: TJ Crockett, Lindenwood
University and Breanna Locke, Emmanuel College (Ga.)
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Week ending Feb. 28: Joel Murray, West Texas
A&M University and Rachel Berry, Fresno Pacific University