Utica, NY (2-6-12) – Junior forward Jeff Ward, of the Utica College men’s basketball team, was named the College’s Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending Feb. 5, 2012. Ward averaged close to a double-double over the weekend to lead the Pioneers to a 1-1 record in Empire 8 play on the road.
On Friday, the Ossining, NY native netted 10 points, on a near perfect 5-of-6 shooting, and snagged seven boards as UC downed St. John Fisher College,72-64, in Pittsford, NY. He followed Friday's performance with 16 points and a game-high 12 boards in an 88-78 loss to Nazareth College on Saturday.
Over the course of two games, Ward recorded an impressive 68.4% shooting (13-of-19) while averaging 13 points and 9.5 boards a game.
On the season, Ward leads the squad in field goal percentage (.626%) and blocks (32) and is also second in scoring (16.4 Avg/G) and rebounds (8.1 Avg/G). The junior big man leads the E8 in field goal percentage and his 1.6 stuffs per game ranks him third in the conference.
UC holds an overall record of 7-15 including a 3-8 mark in Empire 8 Conference play. The Pioneers have three games remaining as they hit the road this weekend to face Alfred and Elmira before hosting Ithaca on Saturday, Feb. 18 in the season finale.
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