BOSTON, Mass. – Gus Etchison has been named the Week 16 Lou Henson Award National Player of the Week, as announced by College Insider.
Etchison becomes the first player in the history of Idaho State Bengals men's basketball to earn Lou Henson Award Player of the Week honors and is the fourth player from the Big Sky Conference to receive the national weekly distinction this season.
"It means the world to me. I'm beyond blessed and couldn't have done it without the belief and support of the coaches and my teammates," Etchison said.
The senior guard led Idaho State to a pivotal weekend sweep over the Montana Grizzlies men's basketball and the Montana State Bobcats men's basketball at Reed Gym, snapping a nine-game losing streak and marking the first time the Bengals have swept the Montana schools at home in back-to-back seasons since 2007-09.
For the week, Etchison averaged 32.5 points per game while shooting 61.0 percent from the field, 25-for-41, 46.7 percent from three-point range, 7-for-15, and 80.0 percent at the free throw line, 8-for-10. He also contributed 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.
On Thursday against Montana, Etchison poured in a then-career-high 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the victory.
He followed that performance with another historic outing on Saturday against Montana State, resetting his career high with 36 points on 15-of-25 shooting and 3-of-8 from three-point range. Etchison dished out a career-best eight assists, grabbed three rebounds, and recorded a steal.
The 36-point performance is tied for the 34th highest single-game scoring total in program history and marks the most points scored in a game by a Bengal in more than a decade.
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I men's college basketball. Weekly honors recognize the nation's most outstanding performances throughout the season.
Etchison and the Bengals continue Big Sky play this week as they look to build on their momentum inside Reed Gym, hosting rivals, Weber State, on Saturday at 4 p.m. for Senior Day.
