Junior Guard Rian Pearson Named MAC West Division Player of Week - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

Junior Guard Rian Pearson Named MAC West Division Player of Week

TOLEDO - Junior guard Rian Pearson has been named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. Pearson, who is being honored for the first time this season and fourth occasion in his career, averaged a team-high 22.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.5 spg and 2.5 apg to earn all-tournament team honors at the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament on the Mainland held at Florida Gulf Coast.

Pearson, who sank 15-of-19 (78.9) free throws in the tournament, led Toledo with a season-high 28 points to go along with six rebounds and two steals vs. the host Eagles in the championship game. The 2011-12 second-team All-MAC honoree was extremely efficient on the offensive end with a overall 61.1 field-goal percentage, including a 20-point, 9-for-11 field-goal performance in the first half. In Toledo's first game of the tourney, Pearson helped Toledo post its first victory of the season against Samford with 17 points, five boards, a season-high five steals and four assists.

For the season, Pearson ranks second in the MAC with 17.8 ppg and is fourth with 2.6 spg.

Toledo opens its 2012-13 home campaign this week when it hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Tip-off time from Savage Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.