Culver earns third SAC Player of Week honor

For the third time this season, Wayland Baptist's J.J. Culver has been named Sooner Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week. It marks the fourth time in the past five weeks that 10^th-ranked Wayland has supplied the conference's top player, with Trevonta Robertson being honored last week.
 
Culver most recently was recognized after the Pioneers' home wins over No. 12 Langston, Okla. (106-74) and Central Christian, Kan. (71-70).
 
In the 32-point blowout of Langston, Culver was phenomenal as he poured in a season-high 35 points on 13-of-16 shooting from the field, including 5-of-7 3-pointers. He also pulled down eight rebounds with three assists, two blocks and a steal. He came up one point shy of matching his career high of 36 points.
 
"J.J. Culver…My goodness. He was just outstanding," Pioneers coach Ty Harrelson said after the performance. "Sheesh, he was good."
 
Two days later against Central, Culver ended with a dozen points including two more 3-pointers, seven rebounds, three assists and a block.
 
He wound up the week hitting 58 percent from both the field (18-of-31) and 3-point range (7-of-12).
 
The 6-foot-4 junior guard from Lubbock ranks ninth in the NAIA in total scoring (452 points), 17th in points per game (19.6), and 22nd in defensive rebounds per game (6.1).
 
The Pioneers next travel to Siloam Springs, Ark., to take on No. 21 John Brown (16-7, 10-5 SAC), which is tied for second place in the conference standings three games behind Wayland (18-5, 13-2).