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Quote:OSTON (MA) -- Georgia State's R.J. Hunter earned the Lou Henson National Player of the Week award on Monday night as announced by CollegeInsider.com.
The 6-foot-5 freshman led the Panthers to a pair of victories last week, including a win over first place Northeastern. Against the Huskies, he tied a then career-high with 27 points as the Panthers handed first-place Northeastern its first league loss. Three days later he set a new career-high with 38 points in GSU's 83-63 triumph over Old Dominion. The 38 points were the most by any freshman in the nation this season. He set a new school record and tied the CAA mark for three-pointers made in a game by hitting 10-of-15 from beyond the arc.

The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top Mid-Major player in Division I college basketball.

Hunter swept CAA Player and Rookie of the Week honors on Monday and was also named the CAA Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.

The award is named in honor of Lou Henson who retired after a spectacular coaching career that lasted 41 years. When he left the game in 2005 he was sixth all-time in career Division I wins with 779. He is the winningest coach at both Illinois and New Mexico State. He is one of only 12 coaches in the history of the game to take two schools to the Final Four.

For the season, Hunter is leading all CAA freshmen in scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.3 points and grabbing 5.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 44.5 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from three, 80.4 percent from the free throw line and has a team-high 58 three-pointers.

He is one of just five freshmen in the country averaging at least 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season and is sixth in the nation among all freshmen in scoring. His 17.3 points per game are the most of any CAA freshmen in the last 14 years.

Georgia State (12-12, 7-4 CAA) will return to the court at UNCW on Wednesday. Tip is set for 7 p.m. from Trask Coliseum.

--GeorgiaStateSports.com--