INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Logan Wendell of Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY) and Morgan Morrison of Smith College (Northampton, Mass.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending January 8.
Wendell, a 6-1 sophomore guard from Bradford, Vt., helped lead Ithaca to a pair of victories last week. He was near-perfect from the field in scoring a career-high 29 points (9-of-10 FG, 5-of-7 FT, 6-of-6 3FG) in a 64-53 win over then-No. 19 (D3hoops.com) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Friday. Wendell added four rebounds and an assist in the contest. Then on Saturday, he scored the Bombers’ final seven points in a 75-74 victory over Hobart. Wendell finished the game with 17 points (5-of-10 FG, 6-of-6 FT, 1-of-3 3FG), four rebounds and an assist. Over the two games, he averaged 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 70.0 percent (14-of-20) from the field, 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the foul line and 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from three-point range. For his efforts, Wendell was also selected Liberty League Performer of the Week.
Morrison, a 6-0 senior forward from Detroit, Mich., averaged a double-double as Smith won both of its matchups last week. She scored 24 points (11-of-18 FG, 2-of-4 FT), grabbed five rebounds, had two blocks, and recorded a steal as the Pioneers defeated host Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 73-60 on Wednesday. On Saturday against then-No. 13 (D3hoops.com) Springfield, Morrison scored nine of her 21 points (9-of-15 FG, 3-of-7 FT) in the second half of a 64-50 victory. She added 15 rebounds, and assist and a block in the contest. For the week, she averaged 22.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 60.6 percent (20-of-3) from the field and 45.4 percent (5-of-11) from the foul line. For her efforts, Morrison was also selected the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Athlete of the Week.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This week's announcement was dealyed a day by the New Year's Day holiday. This is the eighth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.