Shelvin Mack Named Horizon League Player of the Week

Butler sophomore Shelvin Mack, who helped lead the Bulldogs to league victories over Green Bay and Milwaukee, has been named Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week ending Jan. 3.  He’s the second Butler player to be honored this season.

Mack averaged 19.5 points and 2.5 assists in Butler’s two league games last week.  He scored a game-high 14 points in Butler’s first place showdown with Green Bay and then posted a career-high 25 points to help lead the Bulldogs past Milwaukee.  His scoring performance against Milwaukee was the highest by a Butler player this season.

For the week, the 6-3 Butler guard hit 14 of 26 (.538) shots from the field and eight of 11 (.727) from the free throw line.  He also contributed five assists, four rebounds, three steals and committed just one turnover in the two contests.

Mack, who joins teammate Gordon Hayward (Dec. 14 & Dec. 21) as a recipient of the league’s weekly honor, ranks seventh in the Horizon League in both scoring (14.9) and assists (3.2).  He’s second in scoring in league games only with a 16.7 average.

The two wins last week moved Butler (10-4, 3-0 Horizon League) into sole possession of first place in the league standings and left the Bulldogs as the only undefeated team in league play.  The Bulldogs will play their next two league games on the road, starting with a test at Wright State (10-5, 3-1) on Friday, Jan. 8.  Wright State was picked second, behind the Bulldogs, in the league’s preseason poll, and the Raiders are currently tied for third in the conference standings.