Rob Kinnan/USAToday sports
Devon Daniels Named ACC Player of the Week
Devon Daniels has, arguably, been NC State's best player over the past month. Last week, he was undisputedly the best player in the entire ACC.
The redshirt junior guard was named Monday as the league's Player the Week after strong performances against top-10 opponents Duke and Florida State.
Daniels averaged 21.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in the two games, which the Wolfpack split.
His most impactful performance came on Wednesday against the then-sixth ranked Blue Devils. Starting the game in attack mode, Daniels scored 14 of his team's first 20 points to get it off to a fast start on his way to a career-high 25 points in an 88-66 rout that got State right back into the NCAA tournament conversation.
Daniels added nine rebounds in the victory, which marked the biggest margin of victory by the Wolfpack against the Blue Devils since Jan. 7, 1978.
The 6-foot-5 Michigan native followed that up by scoring a team-leading 18 points, with nine rebounds and two steals in State's 67-61 loss to No. 8 Florida State.
"He’s playing really good basketball," coach Kevin Keatts said Monday. "If I had to pick one guy that I would say has played the best basketball for us as of late, it would be Devon Daniels. We talk about how he’s doing offensively, but I don’t think we give him enough credit. He’s become one of the best on-ball defenders on our team and probably in the ACC.
"I try to have as much conversation with these guys about what we need from each guy to help our team. He’s taken it to heart. There’s not one day where he has ever come to practice and not competed. He’s getting rewarded for how hard he works everyday."
Daniels is the second Wolfpack player to earn an ACC weekly award. Earlier this season, point guard Markell Johnson shared Player of the Week honors after recording a triple double against The Citadel on Dec. 22.
State get back into action on Tuesday with a key road game at North Carolina.
