Men's Basketball

Jalen McDaniels Named Mountain West Player of the Week

20190115_mbb_sdsu_v_new_mexico_dtuskan_0000120190115_mbb_sdsu_v_new_mexico_dtuskan_00001
Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State men's basketball forward Jalen McDaniels has been named the Mountain West Player of the Week, the league announced this morning. The award is the second of his career and he becomes the 15th Aztec men's basketball student-athlete to have earned multiple Mountain West Player of the Week honors.

In SDSU's only game last week, McDaniels recorded his third consecutive double-double posting game highs with 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 20-point victory over New Mexico, 97-77.

The sophomore was efficient in collecting his fifth 20-point scoring game of the season. McDaniels connected on 10-of-19 field goal attempts and made all four of his free throw attempts against the Lobos. He added four assists and a blocked shot with just one turnover in 30 minutes of work.

McDaniels is playing the best basketball of his career. In his past six games, the 6-10 forward is averaging 19.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, while connecting on 54.5 percent of his field goal attempts and 81.8 percent of his free throw attempts. Currently, McDaniels ranks second in the Mountain West in scoring in league games (19.5) and fourth in rebounding in conference contests (9.8).

For the season, McDaniels is averaging a team-high 15.9 points, a team-high 8.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Last February, McDaniels earned the player of the week honor after Aztec wins over Wyoming and UNLV.

San Diego State is back in action tomorrow when the Aztecs play at Fresno State. Game time is set for 8 p.m. PT with coverage on ESPNU, Watch ESPN, 101.5 KGB and XTRA 1360.