RICHMOND, Va. - Junior Ryan Pearson was an integral part of two George Mason men's basketball victories last week, and for his efforts the Colonial Athletic Association named the forward its Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. The award is the first player of the week nod for Pearson in his career, and the Patriots' first weekly award this season.
Pearson, a native of Far Rockaway, N.Y., averaged 19 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in the Patriots' victories at Northeastern and over Georgia State at home. He contributed a career-high 24 points and a team-best six boards at Northeastern and followed with 14 points and five rebounds in win over the Panthers. On the week, he was 13-of-20 from the field (65 percent) and connected on 10-of-12 attempts from the free throw line (83.3 percent), including eight free throws on Saturday in the win over GSU.
The 24 points scored in Boston by Pearson is the highest single-game total for a Patriot player this season, and he ranks second on the team in scoring and rebounding with averages of 14.4 points and 5.6 boards per game this season. Those marks register 12th and 17th, respectively, among conference players in 2010-11. Pearson's field goal percentage of 56.1 ranks 34th nationally and sixth in the conference.
He is the first Patriot to win conference player of the week since Cam Long was selected to the honor on January 25 last season. During his freshman season in 2007-08, Pearson was twice named the CAA Rookie of the Week.
Pearson and the Patriots return to action on Wednesday night when they look for their third straight victory, hosting Drexel. Tip time is set for 9 p.m. in a game televised live on MASN.
