Freshman center has been named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week following his first week in a Hilltopper uniform, the league office announced Monday. 

The 6-foot-11-inch big man from Lagos, Nigeria, averaged 13 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 62.5 percent from the field in his first two games against Washington and UT Martin. 

Bassey recorded a double-double in the season opener against No. 25 Washington, as he scored 11 points and brought down 12 rebounds, although he did foul out of the game. He also shot 56 percent from the field. That made him the first Hilltopper to record a double-double in his first game since Steve Miller in 1984-85. His 12 rebounds were the most by a WKU freshman in his debut since 1975 and the most by any freshman overall since 2012.

Bassey is the first Hilltopper to win a weekly conference award since current sophomore guard Taveion Hollingsworth won the Freshman of the Week Award in February last season. 

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.