BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the first time since 2014, a University of Tennessee at Martin men’s basketball player has won both Ohio Valley Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week accolades as junior guard/forward Jacob Crews accomplished that feat today.
Crews is only the third Skyhawk to ever sweep those two OVC weekly accolades on the same day, joining Deville Smith (Dec. 22, 2014) and JC Howe (Dec. 16, 2002).
A Hilliard, Fla. native, Crews averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds over three outings, helping UT Martin go 2-1. He shot 39.3 percent from three-point range, canning 11 of his 28 attempts from beyond the arc.
Crews was one rebound on Friday shy of three double-doubles for the week. He started his week with career-highs of 24 points (on 8-of-12 shooting) and 17 rebounds in just 30 minutes in the victory over Brescia on Monday.
The 6-8, 210-pounder followed that with 20 points and nine rebounds in the Skyhawks’ Friday road triumph at Eastern Kentucky, who is the preseason favorite in the Atlantic Sun Conference and was ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll.
Two days later, Crews secured another double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in a neutral-site matchup against Prairie View A&M.
Crews ranks in the top-15 in the OVC in six different statistical categories, leading the league with 2.8 three-point field goals made per game. He also ranks second in rebounding (10.0 per contest), third in three-point field goal percentage (.368), ninth in scoring (15.0 per game), 11th in field goal percentage (.438) and 13th in minutes played (29.8 per outing).
UT Martin is back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 22 when it plays host to North Alabama at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
