DALLAS – WKU swept the season’s first round of Conference USA weekly awards after going 2-1 in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic, the lone loss coming in the title game to No. 11 West Virginia. Junior center Charles Bassey picked up his career’s second Player of the Week nod as he averaged a double-double in his first games since suffering a season-ending leg injury nearly one year ago. Freshman of the Week Dayvion McKnight racked up 21 points in his collegiate debut, the Hilltoppers’ second-most ever scored by a freshman in his career’s first minutes.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CHARLES BASSEY, WKU
JUNIOR, C, 6-11, 235, LAGOS, NIGERIA
Bassey stuffed the stat sheet in his highly-anticipated return to the floor, and was named to the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic All-Tournament Team for his efforts. The Naismith Trophy Watch List member registered an average 15.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per contest against then-(RV) Northern Iowa, (RV) Memphis and No. 15 West Virginia in the three-day event. He also piled up 11 blocks, three assists and a pair of steals, while shooting 54.1 percent on the strength of 20 field goals, two of those from long range. In WKU’s win over Memphis in the semifinals, Bassey produced 21 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks, meaning the 19th time since 2010 that a Division I player has reached each of those single-game marks. The seven stuffs were a program-best since 2011. The Nigeria native polished off his first three starts with 15 points, eight boards and two blocks in 19 minutes seen in the tourney championship. The Player of the Week nod is the second of his career (12/2/2019).

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
DAYVION MCKNIGHT, WKU
FRESHMAN, G, 6-1, 190, SHELBYVILLE, KY.
McKnight shined in his debut as a Hilltopper. In 25 minutes in the team’s 2020-21 lid-lifter against Northern Iowa, the newcomer poured in 21 points on 7-for-10 field-goal shooting and a perfect 6-for-6 showing at the charity stripe. He also chipped in four rebounds, three assists and three steals. In three games against competition that was either ranked or receiving votes in the national polls, McKnight inked an average 8.3 points, 2.7 boards, 2.0 dimes and 1.3 steals in 18.3 minutes.

C-USA Players of the Week
N30        Charles Bassey, WKU

C-USA Freshmen of the Week
N30        Dayvion McKnight, WKU