UVU basketball: Hunsaker named Great West Player of the Week

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Utah Valley's Holton Hunsaker has been named Great West Conference Player of the Week after last week's all-tournament performance at the 23rd Dr Pepper Classic. The award was announced Wednesday by the conference office.

Hunsaker tied a school record with eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 37 points in the championship game against host Chattanooga on Saturday. He connected on seven treys and scored 28 of his points in the second half.

"I can't say enough about Holton Hunsaker. What a player he is and what a tournament he had," Chattanooga head coach John Shulman said. "He is a hard-nosed competitor who is an extension of the coaching staff."

Hunsaker, a three-time player of the week winner so far this season, also scored 21 in a win over Austin Peay in the opening game of the classic. He hit 53 percent (17-32) of his field goals, including 54 percent (13-24) from beyond the arc, and was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line.

Although UVU lost to Chattanooga, 76-69, in the championship, Hunsaker's 37-point effort ranks as the seventh-highest total in NCAA Division I this season. He averaged 29.0 points and 4.0 assists during the week to receive Dr Pepper Classic All-Tournament honors.

Hunsaker is an all-conference and academic all-conference performer from a season ago. His output is also the highest scoring night for a Utah Valley player since Ryan Toolson's 63-point night at Chicago State on Jan. 29, 2009.

Clint Burgi is the assistant athletic director for sports information at Utah Valley University. For more information on Wolverine athletics, visit WolverineGreen.com.