Dec. 19, 2017
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Bernstein
212-998-2031
Association continues to honor Div. III standouts
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GREEN, WILLIAMS ARE DIVISION III
NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

ST. LOUIS (USBWA)Lavrone Green of New Jersey City University (Jersey City, N.J.) and Kendrea Williams of Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham (Madison, N.J.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending December 17.

Green, a 6-2 junior guard from Teaneck, N.J., led the way to the Gothic Knights' 81-80 come-from-behind victory over Albertus Magnus on Saturday. With his team trailing by nine, 71-62, with less than six minutes remaining, Green scored 14 points as New Jersey City closed the game on a 19-9 run. Included in his late-game heroics were a game-tying three-pointer with 38 seconds left and a game-winning trey at the buzzer. Overall, Green finished with 34 points (12-of-24 FG, 6-of-8 FT, 4-of-9 3FG), two rebounds and two assists. His performance led the No. 17 (D3hoops.com) Gothic Knights to their best start (9-0) in program history and into the school break undefeated for the first time in 85 years. For his efforts, Green was also named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Player of the Week as the Gothic Knights climbed to 4-0.

Williams, a 5-9 sophomore guard from Piscataway, N.J., rose to the top of this season's NCAA Division III season and one-game scoring lists with her performances last week. Against then-No. 15 (D3hoops.com) Messiah on Friday, she totaled 20 points (6-of-16 FG, 5-of-8 FT, 3-of-7 3FG) and added five rebounds, one assist and one steal as the Devils fell 82-72. Then, in a 94-66 victory over Hartwick on Saturday, Williams scored a team-record and NCAA-high 45 points, including a school-record-tying nine three-pointers. She added a rebound, two steals and a block while rising to the top of the national scoring list with 25.4 ppg. For the week, Williams averaged 32.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 0.5 assists and blocks while shooting 55.2 percent (21-of-38) from the field, 78.6 percent (11-of-14) from the foul line and 54.5 percent (12-0f-22) from three-point range. For her efforts, Williams was also named the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom) Player of the Week.

Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the fourth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

2017-18 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 19: Keith Brown, Endicott College and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
Week ending Nov. 26: Brayden Olson, Benedictine and Dani Reinwald, Medaille
Week ending Dec. 3: Hamed Shamseldin, The College at Brockport and Bryce Frank, Austin College
Week ending Dec. 10: Justin Webster, Adrian College and Georgia Bourikas, Suffolk University
Week ending Dec. 17: Lavrone Green, New Jersey City and Kendrea Williams, FDU-Florham
Week ending Dec. 31: Marcus Dempsey, Muskingum University and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
Week ending Jan. 7: Sam Light, Lebanon Valley College and Alecia Rohrer, Messiah College
Week ending Jan. 14: Ryan Bruns, Ohio Northern University and Casey Poe, Whitman College
Week ending Jan. 21: Jake Ross, Springfield College and Mikayla Hodge, Lyndon State College
Week ending Jan. 28: Marcus Dempsey, Muskingum College and Andrea Iavarone, St. Joseph's College-Long Island
Week ending Feb. 4: Josh Freund, Roanoke College and Kelsey Burton, Lake Forest College
Week ending Feb. 11: Myles Copeland, Trine University and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
Week ending Feb. 18: Mike Rapoza, Anna Maria College and Madison Temple, Thomas More College
Week ending Feb. 25: Caleb Johnson, Berry College and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College