St. John’s Ponds, Villanova’s Spellman Earn Weekly MBB Honors

– St. John’s guard Shamorie Ponds has been named BIG EAST Player of the Week and Villanova forward Omari Spellman has been selected BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. Ponds averaged 32.0 points against a pair of teams ranked in the top six nationally. Spellman helped lead the Wildcats to a 2-0 week.– Ponds averaged 32.0 points in a 1-1 week that included an 81-77 win over No. 4 Duke. He recorded 33 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three rebounds against the Blue Devils. In a 73-68 loss to No. 6 Xavier, Ponds had 31 points. For the two games, he shot 55.8 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from 3-point range. Ponds ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring with a 20.3 average.Spellman averaged 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in a 2-0 week. In a 92-76 win over Seton Hall on Sunday, he posted game highs of 26 points and 11 rebounds. In a 98-78 win over Creighton, Spellman scored 14 points. For the week, he shot 14-of-22 from the field, including 10-of-14 from 3-point range. Spellman has won Freshman of the Week honors five times this season.Averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in a 2-0 week. Scored 26 points in a win against DePaul (80-57). Has recorded 20-point games in 11 conference contests.Averaged 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week. Had 25 points and 10 rebounds in a loss at Seton Hall (73-57).Averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a 1-1 week. Shot 56 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from 3-point range.Averaged 20.0 points and 5.0 assists in a 2-0 week. Shot 56.5 percent from the field and 60 percent from 3-point range.Averaged 22.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a 2-0 week. Scored a game-high 31 points in an overtime win against Georgetown (96-91).