ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Sean Smith, Jr. of Manhattanville College (Purchase, N.Y.) and Madison Temple of Thomas More University (Crestview Hills, Ky.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending December 9.

Smith, Jr., a 6-4 sophomore forward from Yonkers, N.Y., averaged a double-double in the Valiants' (4-5) two games last week. In a 91-87 loss to Wilkes on Saturday, Smith, Jr. scored a school-record 46 points (16-of-25 FG, 9-of-11 FT, 5-of-14 3FG), the third-highest total in Division III this season, with 25 coming in the second half. He added 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the contest. Earlier in the week, Smith, Jr. totaled 25 points (9-of-20 FG, 4-of-7 FT, 3-of-6 3FG), 10 rebounds and one steal in an 81-68 loss to Delaware Valley on Wednesday. For the week, he averaged 35.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, and 1.5 spg while shooting 55.5 percent (25-of-45) from the field, 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the foul line and 40 percent (8-of-20) from three-point range. For his efforts, Smith, Jr. was also named Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Player of the Week for the third time this season.

Temple, a 6-0 senior guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, helped lead the No.4 (D3hoops.com) Saints (11-0) to a 4-0 week. In an 84-71 victory over then-No. 5 Chicago on Monday, Temple played all 40 minutes and totaled 26 points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. In Wednesday's 81-75 win over Marietta, she scored 19 points, had seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals. On Friday, in only 27 minutes against Whitworth, Temple recorded 20 points, tied a career high with 10 assists, and added six rebounds, two steals and a block. She then scored a career-high 33 points in an 80-63 win over Whitman on Saturday, also contributing eight rebounds, four steals, three assists, and a block. For the week, Temple averaged 24.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 5.8 apg, 3.0 spg, and 1.3 bpg. She shot 65.4 percent (34-of-52) from the field, 89.7 percent (26-of-29) from the line and 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from beyond the arc. For her efforts, Temple was also named American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Player of the Week and Most Valuable Player of Whitman's Kim Evanger Raney Classic.

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.

2018-19 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
• Week ending Nov. 18: Keith Brown, Endicott College and Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel College
• Week ending Nov. 25: Demitrius Underwood, University of Texas at Dallas and Allison Chernow, Emory University
• Week ending Dec. 2: Kevin Dennis, Morrisville State College and Hannah Norlin, University of Wisconsin-Superior
• Week ending Dec. 9: Sean Smith, Jr., Manhattanville College and Madison Temple, Thomas More University
• Week ending Dec. 16: Auston Francis, Wheaton College (Ill.) and Madison Temple, Thomas More University
• Week ending Jan. 6: Will Carius, Monmouth College (Ill.) and Maddie Hasson, Bowdoin College
• Week ending Jan. 13: Elijah Hirsh, Berry College and Katie Garrish, Southern Virginia University
• Week ending Jan. 20: Hakeem Animashaun, Salem State University; Kierra McCarthy, Westfield State University
• Week ending Jan. 27: Sam Jefferson, Colby College; Caitlin Corbett, Hartwick College
• Week ending Feb. 3: Andrew Romero III, Johnson & Wales University; Rebecca Prociak, King's College
• Week ending Feb. 10: Aston Francis, Wheaton College (Ill.); Rachael Windhausen, Oswego State University
• Week ending Feb. 17: Kevin Dennis, Morrisville State College; Rah Rah Thompson, Albertus Magnus College
• Week ending Feb. 24: Luke Smith, Sewanee; Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel College