Feb. 25, 2013

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - New Mexico junior guard Kendall Williams has been named Mountain West Men's Basketball Player of the Week for games through February 24. This is the first career MW weekly accolade for Williams.

Williams set and tied school and Mountain West records, respectively, with 10 3-pointers en route to a career-high 46 points as New Mexico ended Colorado State's 27-game home win streak with a 91-82 victory on Saturday. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native, who entered the game with a 13.1 scoring average, netted 20 points in the first half and 26 in the second. He scored 18 of his 46 points in the final six minutes, including 11 straight. With New Mexico down 70-69, Williams hit back-to-back 3-pointers, capping an 11-0 run and giving the Lobos a 75-70 lead with 3:59 remaining in the game. In the final minute of play, Williams went 7-of-9 from the free throw line to secure the victory.

Williams' 46-point performance, which ranks as the third-highest scoring effort by a Division I player this season, is the third-best in a MW-only game in league history and fifth-best overall. It also set the MW junior class record for most points in a Conference-only game, shattering the previous record of 36 points, shared by BYU's Jimmer Fredette (twice, Feb. 17, 2010 at Colorado State and Jan. 30, 2010 vs. Utah) and UNLV's Marcus Banks (Feb. 23, 2002 vs. San Diego State). Williams' 10 3-pointers tied the league's overall record while setting a new mark for an MW-only contest. The overall record was set earlier this season by Boise State's Jeff Elorriaga (Dec. 30, 2012 vs. Corban). Colorado State's Sean Morris (Jan. 22, 2005 at UNLV) and New Mexico's Javin Tindall (Jan. 31, 2004 at UNLV) shared the previous record for most 3-pointers in a MW-only game with nine apiece. Tindall shared the Lobos' previous overall record with Ruben Douglas (Nov. 23, 2001 vs. Pacific).

Williams also added four assists and five rebounds, while going 12-of-16 (.750) from the field, including 10-of-13 (.769) from 3-point range, and 12-of-17 (.706) from the line.

MW Men's Basketball Players of the Week:
Nov. 12 - Colton Iverson, Sr., C, Colorado State
Nov. 19 - Deonte Burton, Jr., G, Nevada; Tony Snell, Jr., G, New Mexico
Nov. 26 - Colton Iverson, Sr., C, Colorado State
Dec. 3 - Derrick Marks, So., G, Boise State
Dec. 10 - Anthony Bennett, Fr., F, UNLV
Dec. 17 - Anthony Drmic, So., G/F, Boise State
Dec. 24 - Pierce Hornung, Sr., F, Colorado State
Dec. 31 - Alex Kirk, So., C, New Mexico
Jan. 7 - Leonard Washington, Sr., F, Wyoming
Jan. 14 - Alex Kirk, So., C, New Mexico; Jamaal Franklin, Jr., G, San Diego State
Jan. 21 - Dorian Green, Sr., G, Colorado State
Jan. 28 - JJ O'Brien, So., F, San Diego State
Feb. 4 - Pierce Hornung, Sr., F, Colorado State
Feb. 11 - Derrick Marks, So., G, Boise State
Feb. 18 - Michael Lyons, Sr., G, Air Force
Feb. 25 - Kendall Williams, Jr., G, New Mexico

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