DALLAS – UAB junior Tavin Lovan and WKU junior Charles Bassey both received Conference USA Player of the Week recognition on Monday. Lovan’s weekend was highlighted by a 32-point performance that marked the school’s highest since 2013. Bassey collected his third nod in a row and sixth overall on the year after back-to-back double-doubles helped WKU improve to its best start since 2001-02. Freshman of the Week went to Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Lofton, Jr. for the fourth time following the Bulldog’s fourth double-double on the season. Awards are voted on by the league's men's basketball communications directors. All C-USA weekly awards are presented by Surf & Turf Golf.
 
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
TAVIN LOVAN, UAB
JUNIOR, G, 6-4, 210, FRANKLIN, KY
Lovan’s performance in UAB’s (12-2, 5-1 C-USA) sweep of Rice was highlighted by the Blazers’ highest scoring effort by a player since 2013. The guard threw down a career-high 32 points on 13-of-22 makes from the floor on Saturday, also chipping in a season-high 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals. He opened the weekend with 14 points on Friday, missing just two of his seven attempts from the floor. In total, Lovan averaged 23 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists, also hitting 83.3 percent of his 12 free throws and committing one turnover in 31.8 minutes per game.

CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CHARLES BASSEY, WKU
JUNIOR, C, 6-11, 235, LAGOS, NIGERIA
Bassey dominated in WKU’s rivalry weekend sweep of Middle Tennessee. The junior center manufactured 19.5 points, 13 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in the two contests, helping the Hilltoppers to their fourth-straight win and third-straight on the road. His point total came on an efficient 64 percent clip from the floor (16-25) and 6-of-8 makes from the charity stripe. 16 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday gave him his 10^th double-double, while an even better game-high 23 points and 14 boards on Saturday helped him tie the national lead this season with 11. The second game of the series also saw him post four dunks and five blocks. Bassey continues to lead the country in total rebounds, blocks and dunks.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
KENNETH LOFTON, JR., LOUISIANA TECH
FRESHMAN, F, 6-7, 275, PORT ARTHUR, TX
Lofton, Jr. did some damage in El Paso over the weekend, averaging 15.5 points on 54.5 percent field goal shooting and 10 rebounds as Louisiana Tech split the series at UTEP. Lofton recorded career-highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds on Friday night, becoming the program’s first freshman since 2008 to notch a 20-10 performance. It also marked his team-leading fourth double-double on the year. Saturday brought another strong outing as he scored in double figures for the third-straight game with 11 points and added seven rebounds.  

C-USA Players of the Week
N30        Charles Bassey, WKU
D7           Taevion Kinsey, Marshall
D14        Charles Bassey, WKU
D21        Jahmir Young, Charlotte | Charles Bassey, WKU
D28        Luke Frampton, WKU
J4            Jahmir Young, Charlotte | Travis Evee, Rice
J11          Charles Bassey, WKU
J18          Charles Bassey, WKU
J25          Tavin Lovan, UAB | Charles Bassey, WKU
 
C-USA Freshmen of the Week
N30        Dayvion McKnight, WKU
D7           Kenneth Lofton, Jr., Louisiana Tech
D14        Jaron Pierre, Jr., Southern Miss
D21        Kenneth Lofton, Jr., Louisiana Tech
D28        Kenneth Lofton, Jr., Louisiana Tech
J4            Jaron Pierre, Jr., Southern Miss
J11          Rubin Jones, North Texas
J18          Jaron Pierre, Jr., Southern Miss
J25          Kenneth Lofton, Jr., Louisiana Tech