GREENSBORO, N.C. – After leading Virginia Tech men's basketball to two ACC wins, Landers Nolley II has been named ACC Freshman of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday.
The redshirt freshman led the Hokies (12-4, 3-2 ACC) over Syracuse (9-7, 2-3) and NC State (11-5, 2-3) last week. Over the two games, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists.
Going on the road and picking up their second road ACC win last Tuesday, Nolley led the Hokies to their first-ever win over Syracuse in the Carrier Dome behind 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Nolley, playing the distributing role at the top of the 2-3 zone for a good amount on Tuesday (hence his most assists since Dec. 6), also made some clutch free throws down the stretch, making 3 of 4 the last 19 seconds to keep pushing it back to a two-possession game.
He dropped 29 points on NC State this past Saturday, hitting four 3-pointers and going 9 of 10 from the charity stripe to help Tech stay perfect on the week. With Tech trailing 10-0 after the first media timeout, Nolley willed the Hokies back into the game, scoring eight of Tech's first 13 points to help them go on a 13-0 run and never look back, as State never led again after the 13-minute mark.
With the honor, it marks Nolley's fifth time earning the award this season, which improves upon his already set school record since Tech joined the ACC in 2004-05.
It hasn't been that long since an ACC freshman has won the award five times, with Duke's Zion Williamson and North Carolina's Coby White winning it five times last year.
The record for most times winning it is 10, with North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (2005-06), Georgia Tech's Kenny Anderson (1989-90) and Duke's Jabari Parker (2013-14) all being tied with 10.
Tech will be back in action on Tuesday at Wake Forest (8-7, 2-4) at 9 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
