CLEVELAND—Behind two strong performances last week that helped lift Miami University’s men’s basketball team to its first back-to-back wins this season, senior forward Julian Mavunga was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday morning.
Mavunga was a catalyst in the RedHawks’ wins over the top two MAC West Division teams last week. He put together an impressive stat line against Eastern Michigan that earned him ESPN Stats & Info Player of the Night distinction. Mavunga tallied 19 points and career highs of 19 rebounds and 8 assists in a 62-57 overtime win against the Eagles, contributing to 35 of the RedHawks’ 62 points (57.89 percent of their scoring). The 19 rebounds are the most by a MAC player this season. They equal the most by a Miami player since John Estick’s 19 against Eastern Michigan in 1998 and are the most since Ron Harper’s 23 in 1986.
Mavunga pulled down two crucial defensive rebounds, had a blocked shot and assisted on the two final buckets, including the game-tying triple, over the last 1:08 as Miami overcame and 11-point deficit in the last 3:28 of regulation to force overtime against the Eagles. He recorded eight points—all from the free-throw line—and had an assist in overtime as the RedHawks scored 16 points in the extra five minutes
Mavunga came back with a 10-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist performance in a 59-53 win at Ball State where he accounted for 22 of Miami’s 59 points (37.28 of its scoring). It was just the second road win for the RedHawks this season.
He has recorded double-doubles in four-straight games and has 13 double-doubles this season and 27 for his career. For the week, Mavunga averaged 14.5 ppg, 14.5 rpg and 6.5 apg while shooting 40 percent from the field and 77.3 percent from the free-throw line. He never came off the floor in either game.
This is the first MAC Player of the Week award for a Miami player this season and the third of Mavunga’s career. Last week, freshman guard Brian Sullivan was tabbed the MAC Freshman of the Month for January.
