Murray State’s Jonathan Stark was named Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for a fifth time this season after a vote by the league’s sports information directors.
The junior guard from Munford, Tennessee, was also named to the award in the first four weeks of the season.
Stark scored his 12th and 13th game this season of 20-plus points when he scored 21 against Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 19) and 27 against Austin Peay (Jan. 21) as the Racers split the games with a home win and road loss.
For the week, Stark averaged 24 points per game, 2.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He led MSU to an amazing 8-0 run in the final 1:10 at APSU Saturday to force overtime. He hit a layup and a pair of 3-point baskets, the last with .9 left in regulation time.
Heading into the week, Stark is third in the OVC with a scoring average of 20.7 points per game and second with 5.4 assists per game. Nationally, he ranks 11th in NCAA D-I with 440 total points.
If Stark can keep his pace, he will become the 33rd Murray State player in program history to average 20 points per game or more and become the first since Cameron Payne did it in the 2014-15 season.
This marks the seventh OVC Newcomer award this season for the Racers. Stark’s junior teammate Terrell Miller, Jr., was the OVC Newcomer of the Week twice on Dec. 26 and Jan. 16.
2016-17 OVC Newcomer of the Week – Murray State Winners
Nov. 14 Jonathan Stark
Nov. 21 Jonathan Stark (Co-winner with Jordan Reed of Tennessee State)
Nov. 28 Jonathan Stark
Dec. 5 Jonathan Stark
Dec. 26 Terrell Miller
Jan. 16 Terrell Miller
Jan. 23 Jonathan Stark
The Racers (11-10, 5-2 OVC) are home this week to host Southeast Missouri Thursday and UT Martin Saturday. Both game days are women’s/men’s doubleheaders at the CFSB Center with tip times of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Dave Winder
Murray State Athletics – Assistant AD – Media Relations
