NEW ORLEANS — For the third time this season, Little Rock guard Markquis Nowell has been named the Sun Belt Conference’s Co-Player of the Week, thanks to a pair of impressive performances over the week.
With the honor, Nowell becomes the first player in Trojan program history to be named Sun Belt Player of the Week three times in a single season. He joins Will Neighbour (2011-14) and Rashad Jones-Jennings (2005-07) as the third Trojan to earn the weekly accolade three times in his Little Rock career.
Nowell averaged a double-double in a pair of Trojan victories, averaging 15.5 points and 11.0 assists with 4.5 steals as Little Rock earned wins over Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State. He finished with 31 points, 22 assists and nine steals while going perfect from the free throw line.
Against the Chanticleers, Nowell registered 14 points with nine assists and five steals, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Two days later, the sophomore recorded his first career double-double with 17 points and 13 assists, complemented by four steals.
The 13 assists dished out by Nowell against the Mountaineers was a new career high and a new Jack Stephens Center record for assists in a single game. It also marked the most helpers by a Trojan in a game since Zack Garber’s 13 at Florida International on January 30, 2005.
A Lou Henson Player of the Year Award candidate, Nowell continues to rank among the Sun Belt leaders in a handful of statistical categories. The Harlem, New York native is the conference’s leader in field goal percentage at 88.9% and is tied for first in steals (2.4), ranking second in assists (5.0) and three pointers made (2.8) and third in scoring (17.2) and minutes played (34.8), playing all 40 minutes 10 times this season.
Nowell shares the honor with Applachian State’s Justin Forrest who scored 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the Trojans’ 93-86 win over the Mountaineers Saturday.
Nowell and the rest of the Trojans look to continue one of the best stories in college basketball this week when Little Rock welcomes rival Arkansas State to the Jack Stephens Center for its yearly visit Saturday. Opening tip against the Red Wolves is set for 2 p.m.
2019-20 Sun Belt Conference Players of the Week
November 12: Josh Ajayi, South Alabama
November 19: Markquis Nowell, Little Rock
November 26: Elijah McCadden, Georgia Southern
December 3: Markquis Nowell, Little Rock
December 9: DeVante Jones, Coastal Carolina
December 16: Nijal Pearson, Texas State
December 23: Justin Forrest, Appalachian State
December 30: Ike Smith, Georgia Southern
January 6: Kamani Johnson, Little Rock / Michael Ertel, ULM
January 13: Nijal Pearson, Texas State
January 20: Josh Ajayi, South Alabama
January 27: Jalen Johnson, Louisiana
February 3: Markquis Nowell, Little Rock / Justin Forrest, Appalachian State