Zhuric Phelps Named AAC Player Of The Week

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Zhuric Phelps Named AAC Player Of The Week

IRVING, Texas (SMU/American Athletic Conference) – Zhuric Phelps was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Phelps averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, earning all-tournament honors. He scored 20 points in the 85-81 victory over Iona in the quarterfinal, added 19 points with eight rebounds and three steals in the 77-74 semifinal win against Utah State, and totaled 20 points in the 58-57 loss to Hawaii in the championship.

Phelps is leading The American in scoring, averaging 19.5 points (27th NCAA). He is also recording 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists (14th AAC) and 1.7 steals (6th AAC) in 33.1 minutes per game (7th AAC). He has scored in double figures every game this season and has at least 19 points in the past nine games.

This is Phelps' third career AAC Weekly Honor. He was on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 28 and was the conference's Freshman of the Week on Dec. 13, 2021.

SMU (5-8) opens AAC play by hosting Tulsa at Moody Coliseum on New Year's Day at 2 p.m. For tickets and other game information, visit SMUMustangs.com/gameday.

[Charleston Pony]

Well deserved. He had one hack of a tournament in Hawaii

[BleedingRed+Blue]

Easily our most impressive player so far this season. Congratulations.

[ponyboy]

So far he’s been a good replacement for KD.

[Charleston Pony]

I found it amusing the ESPN announcers kept commenting on how much improved Zhuric was and they pointed to his scoring average going from 3 ppg to almost 20 ppg but nobody commented about KD leading the scoring and not being here anymore. Zhuric could have scored double figures as a true FR. He clearly has the talent. Biggest improvement I've seen is that he can now go hard to his left making it easier for him to create shots for himself. As he gains more experience I expect his shot selection and shooting to improve and he will really be a force as a JR & SR. He's a guy we need to "Pony Up" for and hold onto

[ponyboy]

Confused by his recruitment. He was a consensus top ten Texas recruit, Mr. Texas Basketball, and a state champ at a highly visible program. But he had few reported quality offers. Is that because he committed to us early? The kid could play most anywhere.