NEW YORK (Dec. 5, 2023) ---
Caden Pierce of Princeton University has been named Division I Men’s Player of the Week by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
The designation, for games played Nov. 27-Dec. 3, is unique in that it encompasses players from 21 Met area Division I schools. It's also the first such honor for Princeton since rejoining the MBWA roster this season after a voluntary absence of three decades.
A 6-7 sophomore forward from Glen Ellyn, IL, Pierce --- who also was named the Ivy League co-player of the week --- averaged 22.0 points on 56.7% shooting from the floor along with 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks for the unbeaten Tigers (8-0), who defeated Bucknell on the road 85-71 and edged Furman at home 70-69 in a 2-0 week.
In Princeton’s victory over Bucknell last Wednesday, Pierce finished with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
He followed that performance on Saturday against Furman with another 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting along with 15 rebounds, four assists and three steals. The double-double was Pierce’s fourth of the season and the 11th of his career.
Against Furman, with the Tigers down 69-67 and 00:08 remaining, Pierce grabbed an offensive rebound and tossed it for a game-winning assist to Matt Allocco who buried a game-winning 3-pointer.
Players receiving MBWA Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Jadin Collins, Marist; Al-Amir Dawes, Seton Hall; Darlinstone Dubar, Hofstra; Nico Galette, Sacred Heart; Michael Houge, Saint Peter’s.