Dec. 19, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State freshman forward Kyle Spain has been named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week the conference announced Monday. Spain's first career award marks only the third time in MWC history that a freshman has won the honor, joining the Aztecs' Evan Burns (March 3, 2003) and Utah's Andrew Bogut (Nov. 24, 2003).
A Newark, Calif., native, Spain posted game and career highs with 17 points and five steals in SDSU's 66-54 victory over UC Santa Barbara. He also collected seven rebounds and handed out two assists in 30 minutes.
Spain was 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, including 8-for-9 from inside the arc, helping the Aztecs snap a two-game losing streak, despite losing last week's winner Marcus Slaughter to a knee injury early in the first half. On the season, Spain is averaging 9.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.7 percent (36-of-67) from the field.
It was the first time a SDSU athlete has won the award in consecutive weeks since Tony Bland and Al Faux on Dec. 3 and Dec.10, 2001. The Aztecs lead all MWC teams with their two selections.
The SDSU men and women will participate in a doubleheader on Tuesday at Cox Arena. The women will host Boise State at 5:30 p.m., while the men will meet UMBC at 8 p.m.