PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference has announced its men's basketball weekly award winners for the week ending Feb. 1.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NICK KOCH • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Guard • Hawthorne, NJ/Don Bosco Prep
Koch earns his second and TCNJ’s fifth NJAC Player of the Week honor after a sensational two-game stretch that saw him average 30.0 points per game on 58.3-percent shooting from the field and 60.0-percent accuracy from beyond the arc. The senior guard delivered 33 points in a thrilling double-overtime victory over Stockton, knocking down the game-winning three-pointer as time expired, then followed with 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting while dishing out nine assists in an 85-59 triumph over Ramapo. Koch maintained a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio for the week (12 assists, 6 turnovers) while playing 84 minutes across both conference contests. He currently leads the NJAC in conference-only scoring (20.2 ppg) and is second in conference-only assists (5.2 apg).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ERIQ CAMPBELL • Stockton University
Junior • Guard • West Atco, NJ/Lindenwold
Campbell is named NJAC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time after averaging 13.5 rebounds per game during a 1-1 week for the Ospreys. The junior guard recorded his fourth consecutive game with double-digit rebounds, pulling down 15 boards in a loss to TCNJ before collecting 12 rebounds in a 78-51 victory over Rutgers-Newark. Campbell also contributed seven assists and two steals for the week while continuing his dominant presence on the glass. He currently ranks eighth in the NJAC in conference-only rebounding (6.7 rpg).
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
RAHEEM MURRAY • Rutgers University-Newark
Freshman • Guard • East Orange, NJ/Pioneer Academy
Murray claims his third NJAC Rookie of the Week recognition after leading Rutgers-Newark in scoring during a 1-1 week that included the Scarlet Raiders' first conference victory. The freshman guard totaled 32 points across two games, recording 16 points in a win over NJCU before adding another 16-point performance in a setback against Stockton. Murray consistently got to the free-throw line, converting 15-of-19 attempts (.789) while adding six rebounds and three steals for the week as Rutgers-Newark secured an important conference win. Murray is currently the leading rookie scorer in conference action, ranking seventh overall with 15.9 points per game against NJAC foes. He is also fifth in conference-only free throw percentage (81.4%).