AP Player of the Week: Boo Buie of Northwestern starred in upset of then-No. 1 Purdue
Northwestern guard Boo Buie (0) drives to the basket past Purdue guard Ethan Morton (25) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s basketball for Week 4 of the season:
BOO BUIE, Northwestern
Boo Buie, Northwestern. The 6-2 graduate guard had a huge performance in the Wildcats’ overtime takedown of then-No. 1 Purdue. The Big Ten Conference's player of the week had 31 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals in the 92-88 win. That performance included making 10 of 20 shots and 9 of 10 free throws to go with two 3-pointers. He also scored seven points in OT and had no turnovers in 43 minutes. Earlier in the week, Buie scored 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting with seven assists and four 3-pointers in a win against Northern Illinois.
RUNNER-UP
RJ Davis, North Carolina. The 6-foot, 180-pound guard scored 27 points in wins against both then-No. 10 Tennessee and in a comeback from 14 down in the second half to beat Florida State last week. Going back to a 30-point performance against Arkansas in the Battle 4 Atlantis, Davis entered Tuesday night’s game against No. 5 Connecticut with three straight games of 27+ points — the first UNC player to do so since Joseph Forte in 2001 — while making 27 straight free throws.
HONORABLE MENTION
Boogie Ellis (USC), Tristen Newton (UConn), Trazarien White (UNC Wilmington).
North Carolina's RJ Davis (4) prepares to shoot ahead of Florida State's Darin Green during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. Credit: AP/Ben McKeown
KEEP AN EYE ON
Southern's Tai'Reon Joseph. The 6-3, 175-pound guard had a huge performance last week with 27 points in a road win at then-No. 21 Mississippi State. Joseph also finished with six rebounds, three steals and the block on the Bulldogs' final shot while playing all 40 minutes. Southern scored the game's last 12 points in a 60-59 win, marking the second win in program history against a ranked opponent. Joseph is averaging a team-best 19.0 points on the season.
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AP voters: Aaron Beard, Cliff Brunt, Gary B. Graves, Beth Harris, Mike Marot, John Marshall, Dave Skretta.
Eastern Washington guard Sebastian Hartmann (21) defends against Southern California guard Boogie Ellis (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis
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