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Idaho junior Ferenz named Sky

women’s Player of the Week

Idaho junior Mikayla Ferenz picked up the first Big Sky Player of the Week honor of 2018, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Ferenz, a Walla Walla, Wash., native, helped Idaho to a 1-1 start in Big Sky play last week. She averaged 26.0 points per game, improving to 19th in the NCAA with 21.1 points per game on the season. Ferenz totaled her second 30-point game of the season on Thursday, becoming the first player to score 30-plus points in conference play this season. She recorded a season-high 33 points in the Vandals’ win over North Dakota. Ferenz concluded the weekend with 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a steal against the Big Sky’s top team Northern Colorado.

Ferenz totaled 16 rebounds and 10 assists on the week. She shot over 50 percent (57.6) from the floor and (53.8) from 3-point range. She ranks 17th in the nation in 3-point field goals made (46) and ranks 28th in the nation in total field goals made (101).

The honor marks the first of the season and third of her career.

The Vandals hit the road for the first time in conference play this week. Idaho will visit Sacramento State on Thursday and Portland State on Saturday.

BSU’s Hutchison earns

Mountain West honors again

Boise State senior Chandler Hutchison was named the Mountain West men’s basketball Player of the Week.

The weekly honor is the third of Hutchison’s career and his second of the season.

The Mission Viejo, Calif., native ended last week with 56 points and 15 rebounds in two wins against Colorado State (93-71) and UNLV (83-74).

Against UNLV, Hutchison tallied a season-high 32 points to go with 12 rebounds. The effort was the 11th 20-point, 10-rebound game of his career, putting him alone in first place in school history. He now has five 20/10 games and six double-doubles this season, pushing his career double-doubles number to 17 (No. 6 in school history).

In addition, the 32 points was his third career 30-point game. He went 13 of 18 from the field including 3 of 3 from behind the arc.

Against Colorado State, he scored a team-high 24 points in just 23 minutes of play after being plagued by foul trouble for much of the first half. Hutchison also picked up two steals and helped the Broncos generate 27 points off turnovers.

Hutchison is averaging 17.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He has tallied 20 or more points in six of the Broncos’ last seven games, and came just short of the threshold against SMU (Dec. 18) with 18 points.

The Broncos will continue conference play tonight as they host New Mexico.