Dec. 1, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State senior forward Kyle Spain has been named Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. The award is the third of Spain's career and first this season.
Spain, from Newark, Calif., helped the Aztecs win the Great Alaska Shootout tournament title by averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals in just 25.0 minutes per game in a starting role. Spain was also named the Great Alaska Shootout Most Outstanding Player.
In the first game of the tournament against Western Carolina, Spain tied his career-highs in points (22) and assists (five) while pulling down a team-best eight rebounds and collecting a season-high two steals. With 11 seconds to go, Spain knocked down the game-tying and go-ahead free throws to give the Aztecs the 59-58 victory.
In game two of the event, Spain led the team with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, while going 3-for-3 from behind the arc. He also tallied three rebounds and two steals in the Aztecs' 75-56 semifinal win over Seattle.
In the championship game against Hampton, Spain scored 17 points while recording a game-high tying eight rebounds and two steals in only 17 minutes of action. His two steals matched a season high and marked the third game in a row that he reached that total. Spain also went a perfect 8-for-8 from the line in the Scarlet and Black's 76-47 victory. The Aztecs posted the largest margin of victory (29) in a Great Alaska Shootout title game.
On the week, Spain shot 50 percent (15-for-30) from the field, including 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) from three-point range and 18-of-19 (94.7 percent) from the charity stripe.
Spain last won this award during his junior season on Nov. 12, 2007, for his MVP effort at the 2007 World Vision Classic in Fresno, Calif.