WASHINGTON – The Atlantic 10 Conference has named Dayton junior DaRon Holmes II its Men's Basketball Player of the Week. George Washington redshirt freshman Darren Buchanan, Jr was chosen as the league’s Rookie of the Week. The awards were announced Monday and are for games played Jan. 15-21.
 
Holmes averaged a double-double in leading Dayton to a pair wins and extending the Flyers’ winning streak to 12 games. He averaged 25.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots in the two games, while shooting .615 (16-of-26) from the field and .400 (2-for-5) from three. In Tuesday's win over Saint Louis, he scored 25 of his 29 points in the second half. He also grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked four shots and had two steals. The forward from Goodyear, Ariz. Followed that with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and another three blocks Saturday versus Rhode Island. In 36 minutes of play over the second half of Saint Louis and first half of Rhode Island, he scored 43 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked six shots. This marks Holmes’ third A-10 Player of the Week award this season, and all three have come in January.
 
Buchanan averaged 18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 65.2 percent (15-for-23) from the floor and a perfect 2-of-2 from the 3-point line in GW's split week. In Monday's win over George Mason, Buchanan led the Revolutionaries with 21 points on 9-of-13 (.692) shooting, adding nine rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. The forward from Washington then authored another double-digit outing at UMass on Saturday with 15 points, hitting 60 percent (6-of-10) from the field, with eight rebounds and three more assists. This is Buchanan’s third rookie award this season and the seventh overall and fourth straight for a GW freshman.
 
HONOR ROLL
George Mason’s Keyshawn Hall averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds with four assists in a split week for the Patriots … Mason freshman Baraka Okojie was a thief, with six steals in two games last week, while collecting 17 total points and six assists in the 1-1 week. Des Watson averaged 17 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists to help Loyola Chicago win two games, including a thriller versus UMass and a road contest at Fordham … Josh Cohen shot 60.9 percent (14-of-23) in a monster week, with 28 points and eight rebounds versus Loyola followed by a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double with four assists, leading the Minutemen over GW … UMass freshman Jaylen Curry was a beast, averaging 17.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 52 percent (13-of-25) from the field and 50 percent (5-of-10) from 3-point range, plus a perfect 4-for-4 at the line … Rhode Island’s Jaden House was 6-of-12 (.500) from 3-point range for the week and averaged 19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over two games, including a 27-point game at Dayton … St. Bonaventure’s Chad Venning collected seven blocks in two games last week while also averaging 16 points and five rebounds … Saint Joseph’s freshman Christ Essandoko crushed it in leading the Hawks to a pair of wins, with a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double in a win over Duquesne and a 13-point, 4-rebounds, 5-asssits performance against La Salle on MLK Day … VCU’s Joe Bamisile tallied 29 points on 10-of-13 (.769) shooting from the field and 7-of-10 (.700) from 3-point range in the Rams’ Friday Night Showcase win over Saint Louis.