LAKE CHARLES – Coming off a stellar game at Michigan, where he led the Cowboys to an 87-76 win over the Big Ten Conference perennial power, McNeese's Shahada Wells has been named the Lute Olson National Player of the Week in addition to garnering his second Southland Conference and Louisiana Sports Writers Association honors on the season.
 
Wells led all scorers with 30 points and pulled in 10 rebounds to record the first double-double in his career. He added six assists and five steals as McNeese defeated a Big Ten team for the first time in school history, and just the ninth win by a Southland school in league history.
 
Also on Tuesday, Wells and the McNeese Cowboys were named Dickie V's (Dick Vitale) Team of the Week as they improved to 11-2 on the season for the best start in 51 years (1972-73).
 
Wells, a graduate transfer from TCU and native of Amarillo, has topped 30 points or more three times this season. The national recognition is the second on the year. He was one of five players named Oscar Robertson Player of the Week after helping McNeese to wins over UAB and UT Martin in early December.
 
For the season, Wells leads the team and is ranked second in the league in scoring with a 19.4 average. He leads the conference with 88 field goals made, 2.7 steals per games and 32 total steals. He's ranked 12^th and 22^nd respectively in the nation in those categories. In addition, he's third in the league in FG shooting (52.7%), fourth with 3.8 assists per game and fifth with a 2.05 assist/turnover ratio.
 
McNeese completed non-conference play with an 11-2 record and will next be in action on Saturday at Texas A&M-Commerce to begin Southland Conference action. The Cowboys defeated seven non-conference Division I opponents for the first time in school history.
 
McNeese Cowboys Weekly Awards
Dec. 4              Shahada Wells (SLC, Louisiana, Oscar Robertson National)
Dec. 18            DJ Richards Jr. (SLC)
Jan. 1               Shahada Wells (CBB Report Weekly MVP)
Jan. 2               Shahada Wells (SLC, Louisiana, Lute Olson National)
Jan. 2               McNeese (Dickie V Team of the Week)         

 
McNeese Cowboys Weekly Awards
Dec. 4              Shahada Wells (SLC, Louisiana, Oscar Robertson National)
Dec. 18            DJ Richards Jr. (SLC)
Jan. 1               Shahada Wells (CBB Report Weekly MVP)
Jan. 2               Shahada Wells (SLC, Louisiana, Lute Olson National)
Jan. 2               McNeese (Dickie V Team of the Week)