Ace Bailey of Rutgers University has been named Division I Men’s Player of the Week by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
 
The designation, for games played Jan. 13-19, is unique in that it encompasses players from 21 Met area Division I schools.

It's the second MBWA weekly award for Bailey, following a similar selection on Jan. 7.

A 6-10 freshman guard from Chattanooga, TN, Bailey --- who also was selected the Big Ten Conference rookie of the week --- posted his fifth and sixth double-doubles in helping the Scarlet Knights (10-9) register a pair of league victories last week.
 
Rutgers defeated visiting UCLA 75-68 last Monday, then traveled to and edged Nebraska 85-82 on Thursday in a game in which there were 10 ties and 13 lead changes with RU snapping the Huskers 20-game homecourt winning streak.
 
Bailey led Rutgers against UCLA in the Bruins first-ever visit to Piscataway with 20 points and 10 rebounds. It marked his sixth time leading the team in scoring this season and 10th time leading the team in rebounding.
 
At Nebraska, Bailey posted 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a clutch steal off a Nebraska inbounds with under 30 seconds remaining. Earlier, he had capped the first half with the first of his four threes as time expired to give Rutgers a 40-37 advantage at the break.
 
Bailey is the first freshman to reach a similar statline --- points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steal --- since Duke's Jalen Johnson in 2021. The feat has only been accomplished eight times by freshmen since 2005 and never in a Big Ten game in the past 20 seasons. Of the eight players achieving these stats, seven played multiple seasons in the NBA, six were first round draft picks and four went No. 1 overall (Greg Oden, Ben Simmons, Deandre Ayton, Zion Williamson).

Players receiving MBWA Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Masiah Gilyard, Manhattan; Xaivian Lee, Princeton; R.J. Luis Jr., St. John’s; Jalen Rucker, Army West Point.