DALLAS – Southern Miss forward Leonard Harper-Baker powered his squad with a pair of double-doubles to earn his first C-USA Player of the Week award. Familiar WKU face Charles Bassey snagged his fifth C-USA Freshman of the Week honor following three double-digit scoring efforts and a pair of 17-rebound outings. All C-USA weekly awards are presented by Top of the World. Awards are chosen by a vote from a media panel representing the 14 member schools.
 
Player of the Week
Leonard Harper-Baker, Southern Miss
RS-Junior, 6-5, 205, F, Detroit
Harper-Baker averaged 16.5 points and 14.5 rebounds for Southern Miss against WKU and Marshall. The last Golden Eagle to have 29 or more rebounds over two games was Charles Gaines in Feb. 2004. In a tight ball game vs. the Hilltoppers, the redshirt junior recorded 18 points and 15 boards in 31 minutes. In his encore performance, the Detroit native posted 15 points and 14 rebounds in a statement win over Marshall. His defensive performance helped hold the potent Herd attack to its lowest point total since March 5, 2015. Harper-Baker’s 9.7 rebounds average ranks third in C-USA play, and his seven field goals in each game are new career highs. It is his first C-USA weekly award.

Freshman of the Week
Charles Bassey, WKU
Freshman, 6-11, 245, C, Lagos, Nigeria
Bassey enjoyed one of his busiest weeks in the paint, averaging 15.7 points and 14 rebounds across three games in six days. To start the week, the freshman pulled down 17 rebounds in consecutive wins over Marshall and at Southern Miss, making him 1 of 12 players nationally this season with multiple games of at least 17 boards. Bassey tallied 17 points and 17 rebounds Monday in a marquee 68-59 win over then-league-leading Marshall, then turned around and paced WKU three days later with 14 points and 17 boards in a narrow 66-63 win at Southern Miss on Thursday. His 17 rebounds in each game were the most by a Hilltopper freshman since freshmen became eligible to play varsity again in 1972. On Saturday, Bassey led WKU with 16 points and eight rebounds in a loss at Louisiana Tech. It is the fifth C-USA weekly award in Bassey’s flourishing career.