Jan. 3, 2005

RICHMOND, Va. - George Mason University's Lamar Butler (Oxon Hill, Md./Oxon Hill) was named the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball Player of the Week for all games played Monday, Dec. 27 through Sunday, Jan. 2, the league announced. It is Butler's first-ever weekly award from the CAA and is the first player of the week honor for the Patriots.

Butler averaged 24.5 points and 4.5 rebounds as George Mason split a pair of road games last week. In two games, the junior guard made 16-of-30 field goals (53.3 percent) and connected on 52.9 percent of his three-point attempts (9-for-17). He was also 80.0 percent (8-of-10) from the free throw line.

Butler exploded for a career-high 36 points as the Patriots defeated Morehead State 76-65 Thursday. Butler, who hit 12-of-20 (.600) from the floor including 6-of-12 (.500) from three-point range, posted the highest single-game point total for a Mason player since 1999. He scored on three of his first four baskets and tallied the Patriots' first nine points of the contest. Butler finished the first half with 27 of Mason's 42 first-half points, as he made 8-of-10 field goals, shot 5-of-6 from beyond the arc and was 6-of-7 from the free throw line. He also contributed 13 points and five rebounds in a loss at McNeese State Tuesday.

This season, Butler, who has started in all 10 games, leads George Mason and ranks third in the league in scoring at 18.1 points per game. He averages 3.0 rebounds per contest and is second on the team in assists (26). Butler is shooting 47.0 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from 3-point range and leads the conference in three-point field goals made (35) and 3-point FGs made per game (3.50). Butler also paces the Patriots from the free throw line at 81.5 percent and is third in the league in free throw percentage.

For his career, Butler, a 2002 CAA all-Rookie team selection, has seen action in 69 games with 43 starts and averages 11.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per outing. He ranks first in the Patriot record books in free throw percentage (82.0 percent), is fourth in three-point field goals made (170) and fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.385). He redshirted the 2002-03 season and played most of 2003-04 while recovering from an early season injury.

George Mason, which is 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the CAA, heads into its full slate of conference games at the start of the new year, beginning Wednesday at 7 p.m. at home against defending conference champion Va. Commonwealth. The Rams (4-6, 0-1 CAA), who have lost three straight and are 0-5 on the road this season, bested the Patriots 55-54 in the 2004 CAA men's basketball tournament championship game.