Will Neighbour named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week

LITTLE ROCK – UALR sophomore Will Neighbour was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging team highs of 18.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game since the league’s last weekly honor was announced on Dec. 20. The 6-10 forward helped lead UALR to a 2-1 record during that span, with road wins over North Texas and Denver to open conference play.

A native of Grayshott, England, Neighbour poured in a season-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds at Illinois State on Dec. 20 by going 8-of-15 from the field (3-for-5 from three-point range). He matched his season-high with another 19-point performance at North Texas, and added 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the year as UALR defeated the Mean Green, 69-66. On Saturday, Neighbour scored a game-high 17 points and added six rebounds to lead UALR to a 66-59 win over Denver at Magness Arena.

Neighbour averaged 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in the Trojans’ two Sun Belt wins to lead UALR to its first 2-0 start in conference play since the 2008-09 season. He is the first Trojan to be named Sun Belt Player of the Week since Rashad Jones-Jennings claimed the honor on Jan. 8, 2007.

Neighbour shot 45.9 percent from the field, including a 6-of-11 effort from three-point range, and 78.9 percent at the foul line over UALR’s three games, while totaling four steals and a team-high five blocks. The victories at North Texas and Denver marked the first road wins of the year by the Trojans, while Saturday’s win over DU was just the second by the Trojans at Magness Arena in program history.

UALR (5-10) returns to action Tuesday, Jan. 3 when it takes on No. 2 Kentucky (13-1) at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. The game can be seen on Fox Sports South and ESPN3.com, with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. (ET).