NORTHWEST NOTES: Feb. 23, 2022

Idaho's Smith, Eastern's Acliese III

share Player of the Week honors

Idaho guard Rashad Smith and Eastern Washington forward Linton Acliese III were named Big Sky Conference Co-Player of the Week, the conference announced.

Smith averaged 20 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 80 percent from the field in wins over Montana and Eastern Washington. Smith also went a perfect 8 for 8 from three, 8-of-9 from the line and tallied three steals in two games.

The junior combo guard opened the week with a career-high 18 points and five rebounds in Idaho's 82-76 win over the Grizzlies on Thursday. He followed that up with 22 points, four rebounds and an 8 for 10 effort from the floor in an 83-80 win over the Eagles on Saturday.

The Chandler, Ariz., native is third on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game and second in rebounds with 5.4. His 5 for 5 effort from three against EWU is the most 3-point makes without a miss in a single game in the conference this season.

Acliese brought home both of the Player of the Week honors for the Eagles this season, previously winning on Jan. 4 after two road wins over Portland State and Northern Arizona. The Richmond, Calif., native helped Eastern Washington finish 1-1 over the weekend, including an overtime victory against first-place Montana State that snapped an 11-game Bobcat winning streak.

In Thursday's game against the Bobcats, Acliese helped lift the Eagles to victory with a 38-point performance.

On Saturday, Eastern Washington narrowly lost to Idaho by a score of 83-80. In the game, Acliese poured on 20 points on 8-for-14 (57.1%) from the field plus a perfect four-for-four from the free throw line. He finished the game with eight boards and two assists.

Over the two games, Acliese averaged 29.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He shot 63.6 percent from the field (21-33) and was 11-12 (91.7%) from the free throw line, plus made five three-pointers. He also added 1.5 assists and 0.5 blocks per game.