ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Marcus Dempsey of Muskingum University was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Men's Player of the Week for the week ending December 31.
Dempsey, a 6-1 sophomore guard from Zanesville, Ohio, averaged 52.5 points per game last week as the Fighting Muskies (5-6) went 1-1. In an 88-77 victory over Medaille on Friday, Dempsey scored 48 points (15-of-20 FG, 11-of-17 FT, 7-of-8 3FG) while adding three rebounds and two assists. Then, in a 111-104 loss to Oberlin on Saturday, Dempsey broke the Muskingum record and scored a NCAA Division III one-game season-high 57 points (19-of-30 FG, 12-of-16 FT, 7-of-12 3FG) while also totaling three rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. For the week, he shot 69 percent (34-of-50) from the field, 69.6 percent (23-of-33) from the foul line and 70 percent (14-of-20) from three-point range, while also averaging 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. For his efforts, Dempsey was also named the Oberlin College Holiday Classic MVP and the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) 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.