Read the rivals.com story on Demetric Bennett
Read the ESPN.com article on Ronnie Arrow's Return to South Alabama (insider membership required)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- One day after picking up the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Award, senior Demetric Bennett has been named National Player of the Week by rivals.com. The release was made as part of a website feature story written by college basketball editor Bob McClellan.
On Tuesday, Bennett was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week and was recognized as runner-up for a National Player of the Week award presented by FoxSports.com.
In the only game of the week, broadcast throughout the Southeast on CSS, Bennett almost single-handedly led the Jaguars to a 71-67 win over Mississippi State in the Coors Classic. He scored a career-high 39 points, shooting 14-of-17 from the field, including six of six from three-point range. He grabbed eight rebounds, made three steals and dished out an assist. Bennett also made five of seven free throws, including a pair with nine seconds left that pushed a 69-67 lead to the final score.
Bennett set records for the nine-year-old Coors Classic in scoring, field goals and field-goal percentage. Facing a 13-point deficit midway through the second half, he scored 10 points during a 23-4 run that put USA up by six with just over two minutes left.
And with 8:05 left in the first half, South led the Bulldogs 20-18, with all 20 points credited to Bennett.
Bennett's award is only a part of the national attention that the South Alabama basketball team is receiving. ESPN.com columnist Kyle Whelliston posted an article titled "Arrow leads the real team USA" Tuesday on the site, chronicling how the Jaguars how Arrow has merged the roster into title contenders.
As of Wednesday morning, South Alabama is ranked 46th in the nation in the Sagarin ratings and 49th in the Pomeroy rankings.
The 7-3 Jaguars begin conference play this weekend with a Thursday-Saturday homestand at the Mitchell Center. South Alabama welcomes in-state rival Troy for a 7:05 tip on Thursday, then Middle Tennessee in the second game of a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
