INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Sekou Sylla of The College of Saint Rose (Albany, N.Y.) and Sylvia Hudson of Urbana University (Urbana, Ohio) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending January 12.
Sylla, a sophomore forward, claimed his first Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after he averaged 26.0 points and 15.5 rebounds to lead the Golden Knights to a split of last week's Northeast-10 Conference games. He scored 32 points with 21 rebounds in an 80-59 defeat to American International, and he led Saint Rose to its first conference win of the season with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 93-74 victory over Assumption.
He shot 54 percent (21-for-39) from the field on the week, and he knocked down 10-of-14 free throws (71 percent), and he had 13 offensive rebounds among his 31 total rebounds on the week to post his 12th and 13th double-doubles of the season. Sylla, a 6-foot-4 forward, is the Division II national leader in double-doubles, and he ranks third nationally among Division II’s individual rebounding leaders, pulling down 12.1 rebounds per game. He also ranks among the national scoring leaders, ranking 10th in total points (351) and 22nd in scoring average (21.9/game).
Sylla is the second player from the Northeast-10 Conference to earn USBWA Men’s Division II National Player of the Week honors this season.
Hudson, a senior forward, was named the Mountain East Conference Player of the Week after helping lead the Blue Knights to a pair of wins while averaging 27.5 points and 13.5 rebounds.
Hudson exploded for a season-high 36 points in a 99-82 win at Fairmont State, tying the second-most points in a single game in program history. She was 14-of-18 from the field and 8-of-10 at the free-throw line, while also recording a pair of steals.
The Sidney, Ohio, native then added 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 78-63 win over Frostburg State, finishing 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 at the free-throw line. The two double-doubles pushed her career total to 30.
Hudson, who shot a combined 75 percent from the field, also became just the second player in program history to post 1,500 career points and 700 career rebounds.
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.