The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) recently released its Player of the Week honors for games played between Jan. 20-26. Pittsburgh Panthers forward Lamar Patterson and Wake Forest forward Travis McKie have been named the ACC Co-Players of the Week. Duke Blue Devils forward Jabari Parker has been honored as the ACC Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season.
Patterson, a 6-foot-5 senior, picked up his third ACC Player of the Week honor of the season after averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists while shooting 52.4 percent from the floor and 88.9 percent from the foul line in Pitt’s ACC wins over Clemson and at Maryland. Patterson scored a game-high 28 points, two shy of his career-high, while making 8-of-14 field goals, a career-high 12-of-14 free throws, grabbing seven rebounds and tying a career-high for the 10th time with seven assists in Saturday’s 83-79 win at Maryland.
McKie averaged 19.0 points and hit 7-of-13 from 3-point range in leading Wake Forest to two wins last week. McKie entered the week with a season-high 24 points on Wednesday at Virginia Tech, leading the Demon Deacons to their first ACC road win in two years. While his numbers in Saturday’s 65-58 win over Notre Dame did not match Wednesday’s, McKie helped seal the win with his play down the stretch as he hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final 30 seconds.
Duke’s Parker averaged 15.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game, as Duke improved to 16-4 overall and 5-2 in ACC play with wins over Miami and Florida State. The Chicago freshman recorded double-doubles in both games and now has six double-doubles on the year. Parker opened the week with 17 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and three blocks in a lopsided road win over Miami. He followed up with a 14-point, 14-rebound, three-steal effort in a 22-point home win over Florida State.