Duke graduate student Amile Jefferson has been voted the Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Player of the Week, while the Blue Devils’ Jayson Tatum was recognized as the ACC Freshman of the Week.
The ACC weekly honors are the first of the season for both players.
Jefferson sparked Duke to victories on two coasts, averaging 17.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists as the Blue Devils downed No. 21 Florida in New York last Tuesday night and defeated UNLV in Las Vegas on Saturday. For the week, the ACC field goal percentage leader was 15-of-20 (.750) from the floor.
The Philadelphia native played a career-high 39 minutes against Florida in the Jimmy V Classic as part of a career night that saw him score a personal-best 24 points and match his career best with 15 rebounds. He was 11-of-14 (.786) from the floor against the Gators and also blocked a team-high four shots. Five of his rebounds came on the offensive glass.
On Saturday, Jefferson ran his season double-double total to six with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds in a 94-45 rout of UNLV in the first college basketball game at T-Mobile Arena. Jefferson also led all players with five assists in the contest. His rebound total against UNLV moved him into the top 20 Duke’s career rebounds chart.
In his first full week of competition this season after recovering from a foot injury, Tatum averaged 17.5 points on .522 (12-of-23) shooting from the floor while chipping in 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in the Blue Devils’ victories. He was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line on the week.
Tatum’s coming out party took place on a national stage against No. 21 Florida last Tuesday night at the Jimmy V Classic as he reeled off 22 points on 7-of-12 (.583) shooting, including 16 points in the second half. He also added eight rebounds and a pair of steals. The effort marked the first 20-point game of his career. On Saturday, the St. Louis native came off the bench for 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks as Duke dismantled UNLV. Tatum has scored in double figures in each of the three games he’s played since returning from injury.
ACC basketball weekly honors are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel.
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