Both the Long Beach State men’s and women’s basketball teams had a player earn Big West Conference Player of the Week—senior guard Casper Ware and senior forward Tipesa Moorer, respectively.
Ware was given the award after leading the 49ers to two road wins last week over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UC Santa Barbara. This is his third selection the season, and the fifth of his career.
The senior scored a career-high 30 points on 9 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Ware’s 22 second half points led the ‘Niners 78-69 come-from-behind win over Cal Poly. He also handed out three assists and grabbed two steals.
Ware scored an efficient 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting, while dishing out five assists in the 49ers 71-48 victory over UCSB on Saturday. The senior guard made his presence felt on the defensive end as well, shutting down the Big West’s fifth leading scorer, Gaucho senior James Nunnally.
Coming into the matchup with LBSU, Nunnally was averaging 16.1 points per game. Ware’s constant defensive pressure held Nunnally to just five points on 1-for-7 from the field.
In the two wins combined, Ware averaged 22 points, four assists, and 2.5 rebounds, while connecting on 14 of 22 from the field (63.6 percent), and 9 of 13 (69.2 percent) from behind the arc.
The senior continues to make his case as one of the best point guards in the country, averaging 17 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds per contest.
Moorer earned her first Big West Player of the Week honor, and it is the second for the women’s team after freshman Lauren Spargo garnered the honor on Dec. 19.
The senior led the ‘Niners with 14 points on 6 of 12 shooting, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range in a 46-34 win over UCSB. She also pulled down 4 rebounds, helping LBSU snap a three-game losing streak.
In a highly anticipated matchup against the nation’s third-leading scorer, Kristina Santiago and Cal Poly, Moorer poured in 16 points on 6 of 11 from the field. She also sank two clutch free throws down the stretch the seal the 74-67 ‘Niners victory.
Moorer averaged 15 points on 52.2 percent shooting (12 of 23) and four rebounds over the two wins. She also connected on 80 percent of her free throws (4 of 5).
The senior forward was also named College Sports Madness Big West player of the Week.
On the season, Moorer is averaging 12.8 points on 43.2 percent shooting and 4.7 rebounds per game.
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