BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Jacob Crews, a guard/forward at the University of Tennessee at Martin, has been selected as the Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week.
In a corresponding announcement, Crews was also named CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Player of the Week this afternoon.
This marks the second straight Monday where Crews has earned both of OVC awards. Overall, the Hilliard, Fla. native becomes just the sixth player in Skyhawk history to win the OVC Player of the Week at least three times in a season and is the fifth UT Martin representative to claim the OVC Newcomer of the Week accolade at least four times.
With today’s announcement, the Skyhawks have currently accounted for six OVC Player of the Week and five OVC Newcomer of the Week honors in 2023-24.
Crews helped UT Martin to another sweep this week, defeating Lindenwood (106-82) and Southeast Missouri (82-72) on the road. The 6-8, 210-pounder averaged 29.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 63.3 percent (19-for-30) and 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from three-point range. He also swished 15 of his 16 free throw tries for a 93.8 percent clip as the Skyhawks moved into a tie for first place in the OVC standings.
On Thursday against Lindenwood, Crews piled up 28 points (on 9-of-14 shooting), 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals as UT Martin tied a school record for most points in an OVC game (106). Two days later at Southeast Missouri, he sank 10 of his 16 field goal attempts en route to 31 points and 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season.
Crews currently ranks second in the OVC in three-point field goals made (2.8 per game), third in scoring (19.0 points per outing), third in field goal percentage (.499), third in three-point field goal percentage (.415), fifth in rebounding (8.2 per contest) and 10th in free throw percentage (.803). In league play, he has improved his numbers to 20.4 points per contest while shooting an OVC-best 43.1 percent from three-point range.
The OVC-leading Skyhawks close out the regular season this week with home games against Tennessee Tech on Thursday, Feb. 29 (7:30 p.m.) and Tennessee State on Saturday, March 2 (3:30 p.m.).
