Olumuyiwa Earns A-Sun Newcomer of the Week Award
11/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After a record-setting performance at South Carolina and helping lead the Spartans to a thrilling 93-91 double-overtime victory over UNC Asheville on Monday night, freshman Babatunde Olumuyiwa (Athens, Ga./Clarke Central HS) has been named the Atlantic Sun Conference Newcomer of the Week, announced today by the conference office in Macon, Ga.
Olumuyiwa joins teammate Torrey Craig (Rock Hill, S.C./Great Falls HS) as the second-consecutive Spartan to earn the A-Sun's Newcomer of the Week award.
In his last two outings, Olumuyiwa averaged 13.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.5 blocks per game. He was one of two Spartans to tally 16 points, a career-high for the first-year Spartan, in Upstate's thrilling 93-91 double-overtime victory over UNC Asheville on Monday night in the Hodge Center. He also finished with a career-best nine rebounds to go along with six blocks. Eight of Olumuyiwa's rebounds came on the offensive glass and he finished 8-for-10 at the free throw line.
On Nov. 23, Olumuyiwa had a stellar performance at South Carolina as he nearly recorded a double-double (11 points, 9 blocks). He also led the Spartans with seven rebounds against the Gamecocks. Through his first seven games of 2010-11, Olumuyiwa has 24 total blocks which leads the A-Sun and places him in a tie for 10th-place in school-history (single-season) (Terry Steward – 24 blocks – 1986-87).
Olumuyiwa cemented his name in three different record books with his nine block performance at South Carolina. His nine blocks are the most ever in a single-game by an Upstate player as he broke Nick Schneiders' record of seven (vs. FGCU – Dec. 14, 2009).
Olumuyiwa tied a single-game conference mark as he became just the sixth player in A-Sun history to record nine blocks in one game. Olumuyiwa joins Mercer's Calvin Henry, Lipscomb's Eddie Ard , Georgia State's Sylvestor Morgan, Jacksonville's Haminn Quaintance and Ryan Lewis as the only individuals to record nine blocks in a single-game.
The first-year Spartan also put his name in the South Carolina Gamecock men's basketball record book. His nine-block performance is the third-highest single-game total against the Gamecocks. The only two names ahead Olumuyiwa's are Derek Holcomb (Illinois) and Shaquille O'Neal (LSU). Holcomb (12/8/78) and O'Neal (2/19/92) each recorded 11 blocked shots against South Carolina.
The Spartans will return to action on Sunday afternoon when they host ETSU in the conference opener. Tip-off at the Hodge Center is slated for 2:00 p.m.
