Nov. 23, 2009
Greensboro, N.C. – Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week Monday, while Duke’s Nolan Smith was named ACC Player of the Week.
Favors, the Yellow Jackets’ 6-10 freshman forward, averaged 14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 blocked shots and shot 81 percent from the floor (17-of-21) as the Jackets won two of three games in last week’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off.
In Sunday’s 85-67 win over Boston University, the Atlanta, Ga., product recorded his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Favors is currently averaging 13.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and is second in the ACC in field goal percentage (.700).
Smith averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds as the eighth-ranked Blue Devils posted wins over Charlotte and Radford. On the week, Smith shot 56 percent (15-of-27) from the field, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from three-point range.
The Upper Marlboro, Md., native had a career-high 24 points, five rebounds and five assists in Tuesday’s 101-59 win over Charlotte. In Saturday’s 104-67 victory over Radford, the junior guard finished with 20 points, seven assists and three rebounds.
Georgia Tech remained No. 21 in this week’s Associated Press poll, but slipped to No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today rankings. The Yellow Jackets return to action at 4 p.m. Friday against Mercer at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
