BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Boston University graduate student forward Sukhmail Mathon received Patriot League GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the second time when the League office announced weekly accolades on Monday. Lehigh freshman guard Keith Higgins Jr. captured rookie of the week for the third straight week.
Mathon collected GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the second time after averaging a double-double during the Terriers’ 1-1 week with 17.5 points and 13.0 rebounds. Mathon posted his 10th double-double of the season with 23 points and 14 boards in Boston University’s 80-74 win over Lehigh.
Higgins Jr. earned GEICO Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week honors for the third consecutive week after averaging 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists during the Mountain Hawks’ 1-1 week.
American senior forward Connor Nelson, Army West Point sophomore guard Jalen Rucker, Bucknell junior Xander Rice, Colgate junior forward Ryan Moffatt, Holy Cross senior forward Gerrale Gates, Lehigh junior guard Evan Taylor and Loyola Maryland junior guard Cam Spencer received honorable mentions for their performances last week.
The Patriot League men’s basketball players of the week are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s sports information director, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
2021-22 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Standings (as of 1.24.22)
| School |
Patriot League |
Pct. |
Overall |
Pct. |
| Loyola Maryland |
6-2 |
.750 |
12-7 |
.632 |
| Army West Point |
6-2 |
.750 |
12-8 |
.600 |
| Colgate |
3-1 |
.750 |
7-10 |
.412 |
| Navy |
5-3 |
.625 |
12-7 |
.632 |
| Lehigh |
5-3 |
.625 |
7-13 |
.350 |
| Boston University |
4-4 |
.500 |
13-8 |
.619 |
| Lafayette |
1-3 |
.250 |
4-11 |
.267 |
| American |
1-4 |
.200 |
5-12 |
.294 |
| Holy Cross |
1-4 |
.200 |
3-14 |
.176 |
| Bucknell |
1-7 |
.125 |
4-16 |
.200 |
Patriot League Composite Men’s Basketball Schedule
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL GEICO PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sukhmail Mathon, Boston University, Gr., F, Shavertown, Pa./Holderness School (N.H.)
*Mathon averaged a double-double with 17.5 points and 13.0 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent (13-of-24) from the floor to help the Terriers go 1-1 last week with a win over Lehigh.
*He posted his 10th double-double of the season with 23 points and 14 rebounds in Boston University’s 80-74 over Lehigh on Saturday.
*On Wednesday, the graduate student forward finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a loss against Loyola Maryland.
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL GEICO ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Keith Higgins Jr., Lehigh, Fr., G, West Hills, Calif./Chaminade Prep
*Higgins Jr. averaged 15.0 points and 5.0 assists on 48 percent (11-of-23) shooting from the field to help Lehigh to a 1-1 week with a win over Navy. He has scored in double-figures in 7-of-8 League games.
*The freshman guard scored 14 points and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds in Lehigh’s 69-61 victory at Navy on Wednesday.
*Higgins Jr. scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half and dished out eight assists in a loss at Boston University on Saturday.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Connor Nelson, American, Sr., F, Denver, Colo./Denver South
*Nelson scored a career-high 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting from 3-point range in the Eagles’ loss against Loyola Maryland. He averaged 16.5 points during American’s two-game week.
Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, So., G, Baltimore, Md./Gilman(USMAPS)
*Rucker averaged 21.0 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 60 percent from 3-point range (6-of-10) to lead Army West Point to comeback victories against American and Navy last week. The freshman point guard scored 25 points against the Eagles before scoring 11 of his 17 points in the second half to help the Black Knights erase a 27-point deficit in a 74-73 overtime win.
Xander Rice, Bucknell, Jr., G, West Long Branch, N.J./Patrick School
*Rice averaged 18.0 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals during Bucknell’s 1-1 week. The junior guard finished with 20 points and seven assists in a loss to Colgate. On Saturday, he finished with 16 points and four rebounds in the Bison’s 68-65 win over Holy Cross.
Ryan Moffatt, Colgate, Jr., F, Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield
*Moffatt scored 17 points on a career-high five made 3-pointers in Colgate’s 75-56 win over Bucknell on Wednesday. The junior forward also finished with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Gerrale Gates, Holy Cross, Sr., F, Charlotte, N.C./David W. Butler
*Gates posted career-highs of 32 points and five assists while grabbing 13 rebounds against Bucknell on Saturday. His 32-point performance was the most by a Crusader against a Division I opponent since Malachi Alexander scored 38 points at Sacred Heart on Dec. 21, 2016.
Evan Taylor, Lehigh, Jr., G, Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West
*Taylor averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds during Lehigh’s 1-1 week. He finished with a team-high 21 points and seven rebounds to lead the Mountain Hawks to a 69-61 win over Navy.
Cam Spencer, Loyola Maryland, Jr., G, Davidsonville, Md./Boys’ Latin
*Spencer averaged 22 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals during the Greyhounds’ 1-1 week. He scored 17 of his game-high 25 points, including two 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds, to help Loyola Maryland to a 78-73 win over American.
GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
11.15 – Stacy Beckton Jr., American, Sr., G
11.22 – Jack Ferguson, Colgate, Sr., G
11.29 – Alex Timmerman, Bucknell, Jr., C
12.6 – Javante McCoy, Boston University, Gr., G
12.13 – Nelly Cummings, Colgate, Sr., G
12.20 – Andrew Funk, Colgate, Sr., G
12.27 – Josh Caldwell, Army West Point, Sr., G
1.3 – Sukhmail Mathon, Boston University, Gr., F
1.10 – Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, So., G
1.17 – Cam Spencer, Loyola Maryland, Jr., G
1.24 – Sukhmail Mathon, Boston University, Gr., F
GEICO Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week
11.15 – Kyrell Luc, Holy Cross, Fr., G
11.22 – Kyrell Luc, Holy Cross, Fr., G
11.29 – David Brown III, Loyola Maryland, Fr., G
12.6 – C.J. Fulton, Lafayette, Fr., G
12.13 – Milos Ilic, Loyola Maryland, Fr., F
12.20 – Kyrell Luc, Holy Cross, Fr., G
12.27 – C.J. Fulton, Lafayette, Fr., G
1.3 – Elijah Stephens, American, Fr., G
1.10 – Keith Higgins Jr., Lehigh, Fr., G
1.17 – Keith Higgins Jr., Lehigh, Fr., G
1.24 – Keith Higgins Jr., Lehigh, Fr., G
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.