After leading Seattle University to back-to-back road victories over Utah Valley and Grand Canyon, junior Brendan Westendorf (Auburn, Wash.) has been named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week by both the league office and College Sports Madness, announced Monday morning by both organizations.
Last Thursday against Utah Valley, Westendorf tied his season high with 20 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-4 from behind the three-point line, and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Westendorf hit a three-pointer to begin a 15-1 Redhawk scoring run in the first half that gave Seattle U the lead for good, scoring seven points total during that stretch. He also collected six rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a blocked shot.
Two nights later against Grand Canyon, Westendorf shot 7-of-14 from the field as he scored a team-high 14 points, plus he pulled down seven rebounds, dished out four assists, and earned three steals. His jumper with 7:19 remaining in regulation gave the Redhawks their first lead since the first basket of the game, and then he earned a steal and layup one minute later to extend the Seattle U lead to 53-49. It was Westendorf who broke through a triple-team and took the shot that led to the game-winning tip-in with four seconds left, ending Grand Canyon’s 12-game winning streak and handing the Antelopes their first conference loss of the season.
Westendorf currently leads the team with 12.1 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, plus he has grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game. He is second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage for all games at 43.9 percent (36-of-82), plus he is third in the WAC in both assists and steals.
Westendorf is the first Seattle U men’s basketball player to receive the conference’s weekly award since William Powell was named WAC Player of the Week Feb. 23, 2015.
Seattle University (10-11, 4-3 WAC) opens another three-game homestand and kicks off Homecoming weekend Thursday, Feb. 4, against Chicago State, followed by a home game at KeyArena against Missouri-Kansas City Saturday, Feb. 6. Both games are scheduled for a 7 p.m. start with tickets on sale through Ticketmaster or the KeyArena Box Office. The games will be broadcast live by the American Sports Network as well as on 770 AM KTTH.