Senior earns state’s weekly award for third time in past four weeks

LAFAYETTE – After recording a pair of double-doubles, helping extend the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball win streak to eight games and becoming the 19th player in NCAA history to score 2,100 points and grab 1,300 rebounds, senior forward Shawn Long was named on Monday as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Men’s Basketball Player of the Week in a release by the organization.

Long, a Morgan City, La., native, earned the weekly award for the second consecutive week and the third time in a four-week period.

The Preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and recently named Karl Malone Watch List candidate averaged 23.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in a pair of wins for UL Lafayette, extending the Ragin’ Cajuns win streak to eight games.

Long opened the week with a season-high 28 points and 17 rebounds in a come-from-behind 72-65 win over ULM on Tuesday. Long played a season-high 42 minutes against the Warhawks and posted career-highs in free throws made (11) and attempts (16) while finishing 8-for-18 from the floor and 1-for-2 from behind the 3-point line.

He came back two days later to record his 16th double-double of the season, and 68th in his career (the most among active NCAA players), after scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in an 87-76 win at Appalachian State on Thursday.

In his career, Long has scored 2,106 points and grabbed 1,306 rebounds and joins a list of NCAA players who have scored at least 2,100 points and grabbed 1,300 rebounds that includes: Oscar Robertson, Lew Alcindor, Elgin Baylor, Elvin Hayes, David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Ralph Sampson.

Long, the third-leading rebounder among Division I athletes (12.9), is third in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring (19.3) and leads the league in both rebounds and blocked shots (1.9).

2015-16 LSWA MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK RECIPIENTS
December 7 – Ben Simmons, LSU
December 14 – Alex Hamilton, Louisiana Tech
December 21 – Majok Deng, ULM
December 28 – Alex Hamilton, Louisiana Tech
January 4 – Ben Simmons, LSU
January 11 – Johnny Griffin, Jr., Loyola
January 18 – Shawn Long, Louisiana
January 25 – Justin Roberson, ULM
February 1 – Shawn Long, Louisiana
February 8 – Shawn Long, Louisiana