Syracuse’s John Gillon has been voted the ACC Basketball Player of the Week, while NC State’s Dennis Smith Jr. earned Freshman of the Week honors.
The weekly honor is the first of the season of Gillon, while Smith was recognized for the third time.
In two Syracuse wins, Gillon averaged 24.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 40.5 minutes played. That included a PNC Arena-record 43 points in last Wednesday night’s road win at NC State. The grad student from Houston tied for the fourth-best single-game scoring total in Syracuse history. His nine 3-pointers also tied a school record and established a PNC Arena Record. Gillon scored 20 consecutive Syracuse points at the end of the second half, including a 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime. He also had nine assists.
Gillon then played 37 minutes in Syracuse’s 66-62 upset of No. 9 Virginia on Saturday. He had six points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals. His basket in the final minute of play helped secure the victory. For the week, he shot .684 from the floor (13-for-19), 9-for-11 on 3-point field goals tries and converted all 14 attempts at the foul line.
In two games last week, NC State’s Smith averaged 22 points, 12 assists, 6.5 rebounds and two steals. He opened the week by registering his second triple-double of the season with 13 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds in NC State’s overtime loss to Syracuse. Smith became the first player in ACC history to record two triple-doubles in league play in the same year. He is the fourth player in ACC history to record two triple-doubles in a single season, and the first since Clemson’s Sharone Wright in 1992-93. Smith is also the first ACC freshman to record two triple-doubles in the same season since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson 1979-80.
On Saturday, Smith recorded his fourth 30-point performance of the season as he scored 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting in the Pack’s loss to Miami. The Fayetteville, North Carolina, native added nine assists and three steals. For the week, Smith was 14-for-23 (.609 from the field, including 7-for-14 from 3-point range. He played 82 of a possible 85 minutes for NC State in the two games.
ACC basketball weekly honors are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel.
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