Huskies' Sahvir Wheeler Named Pac-12 Player of the Week
Sahvir Wheeler was the catalyst in Washington's 100-99 double-overtime victory over Seattle University on Sunday night, helping the Huskies overcome a 16-point deficit.
The 5-foot-9 point guard and Kentucky transfer scored 19 points and tied his career high with 14 assists to push the Huskies past the Redhawks, on Monday earning him Pac-12 Player of the Week honors.
Previously a starter, Wheeler came off the bench for UW coach Mike Hopkins' team and played well, a testament to the veteran guards ability to make an impact no matter the role.
His final assist — a lob pass to center Braxton Meah, who threw down a two-handed dunk with 3:07 remaining in double overtime to give UW a 96-93 lead — tied current assistant coach Will Conroy, who had 14 assists against California in 2005, for the most assists in a single game by a Husky in nearly two decades.
Prior to Sunday's game against Seattle U, Hopkins compared Wheeler's ability to make something out of nothing akin to Donovan McNabb, a former quarterback at Syracuse from 1994-98 who also played basketball while Hopkins was starting out his coaching career at the school.
"He can create at any time," Hopkins said of Wheeler. "That's where we want him. If it's early in the clock, he doesn't have to. If we're in a tough situation late in the clock, he should have the ball in his hands because he has that rare ability."
Wheeler is fifth in the country in averaging 7.3 assists per game through the first 10 games of the season.
The UW returns to Alaska Airlines Arena on Thursday at 5 p.m. to host Eastern Washington.
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