Tyrell Kirk of UNC Pembroke Chosen D2CIDA Men’s Basketball National Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Tyrell Kirk of UNC Pembroke has been named as the National Player of the Week by the Division II Conference Information Directors of America (D2CIDA).
A redshirt senior guard from Whiteville, North Carolina, Kirk averaged 33.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game in two league wins last week for Conference Carolinas regular-season champion UNC Pembroke. Kirk shot 66 percent (25-of-38) from the field overall and knocked down 54 percent (7-of-13) of his three-point attempts. Kirk also connected on 91 percent (10-of-11) of his free throw attempts in the two wins. He put together one of the finest performances in UNC Pembroke’s men’s basketball history in scoring a career-best 41 points in a 103-75 road conference win over Barton on Feb. 22. The 41 points were the most in a single game in UNC Pembroke’s 31-year NCAA Division II history in men’s basketball.
The Conference Carolinas Player of the Week also had five assists and three rebounds in addition to shooting 17-of-22 (77 percent) from the field in the win over Barton. Kirk followed up the historic performance with 26 points, eight rebounds, four steals and one block in eighth-ranked UNC Pembroke’s 101-71 home conference win over North Greenville on Feb. 24.
Kirk’s honoring marks the third straight week that a Conference Carolinas basketball student-athlete has been named National Player of the Week with
Lauryn Taylor of Francis Marion tabbed National Player of the Week on Feb. 15 and
Shanika Peterkin of Barton chosen National Player of the Week on Feb. 22.