Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Western Carolina and Northwestern with Players of the Week

By Bryan Mauro

Dec 1, 2023; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) celebrates Northwestern’s overtime win against the Purdue Boilermakers at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2023; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) celebrates Northwestern’s overtime win against the Purdue Boilermakers at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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Western Carolina
Vonterius Woolbright #2 of the Western Carolina Catamounts (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Mid Major Player of the Week – Vonterious Woolbright

Western Carolina guard Vonterious Woolbright is the winner of the Busting Brackets Mid Major Player of the Week. The guard won the award over a lot of other guys who also had some big weeks, but it was the consistency that the Catamounts star showed that earned him this award. Western Carolina and Woolbright had a great season last year and changed the expectations of the program. Heading into this season I had the Catamounts pegged as one of the top teams in the Southern Conference and Woolbright as one of those players who could contend for the Player of the Year in the League.

The Catamounts started out the year 5-0 and their star guard is a huge reason why. Entering play on December 4, 2023 the guard is currently one of the nations leaders in scoring at 21 points per game and is currently second in the country in rebounding with 11.9 per game. Woolbright is one of the best rebounding guards in the country and his ability to affect a game on the glass as well as on the offensive end of the floor. Woolbright is a different guard because he does most all his damage inside the paint and gets fouled a lot.

In a win over Tennessee Tech the guard scored 22 points to go with 16 rebounds and 5 assists. In that game he was 10-19 from the field, did make 2 threes and only got to the line twice. It was a game that saw Woolbright play all but one minute of game time and the Catamounts needed every minute from their star as they only won by 4 points. The next game, a loss against Gardner-Webb, Woolbright had a crazy game. He scored 35 points on 13-22 shooting, and 9-12 from the free throw line. He also added in 14 rebounds. That gives him an average of 29 points and 15 rebounds over two games this week.

There may have been more guys who scored more points than that but combine that with his ability to rebound and his efficiency on offense. Woolbright was very deserving of the award this week. Congratulations to the Western Carolina program and Woolbright.

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