For the fourth time this season, Arkansas State men’s basketball forward Norchad Omier has been named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.
Omier becomes the second player in league history to earn the weekly honor four times in one season, joining Yemi Nicholson of Denver who did so during the 2005-06 season. This is the fourth career honor for Omier, all coming in the last six weeks.
Helping A-State (13-4, 4-1) climb to the top of the league standings with two wins last week, Omier averaged 20.5 points and 14.5 rebounds while shooting 64 percent (16-25) from the field and 69 percent (9-13) at the stripe. He totaled three blocks, three steals and three assists while logging an average of 37.5 minutes in the two games.
Against UT Arlington, Omier finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds, his eighth career 15-point, 15-rebound effort. Saturday, Omier was 10-of-12 from the field and finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, his eighth career outing with at least 20 points and 10 boards. The pair of double-doubles marked his sixth and seventh consecutive double-doubles and increased his career double-double total to 27 in 40 games played.
Averaging 17.1 points and 11.3 rebounds on the season, Omier is among 14 Division I players currently averaging a double-double. He is the NCAA Division I active career leader in rebound average at 11.9 rebounds per game and ranks top-15 nationally in field-goal percentage (2nd / .676), offensive rebounds per game (2nd / 4.12), double-doubles (5th / 12), rebounds per game (6th / 11.3), total rebounds (7th / 192) and defensive rebounds per game (13th / 7.18).
Omier has helped the Red Wolves to a 13-4 record, the best start since the 1988-89 season. A-returns to action Thursday, Jan. 27, with a 5:30 p.m. (CT) road game at Appalachian State.
