WHITEFISH — Montana Tech’s Derrius Collins and Montana Western’s Brianna King have been named the Frontier Conference basketball players of the week. The league announced the news on Monday.
A sophomore, Collins lifted the Orediggers to a 2-0 record last week, defeating Montana Western 71-60 and the University of Alberta 117-48. Collins scored 12 points to go with four rebounds and a pair of assists in the win over the rival Bulldogs, then poured in 25 points on a perfect 11-of-11 night against Alberta.
Collins, a Missoula native, averaged 18.5 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, missing only one field goal, 15 of 16, while knocking down five 3-pointers. He and the Orediggers return to action Tuesday against Salish Kootenai.
King led her No. 9 Montana Western squad to blowout wins over Montana Tech and Salish Kootenai College. The guard from Spokane had 30 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 76-45 win over Tech last Tuesday, then scored 16 points to go with five assists, four steals and three rebounds in the Bulldogs’ 100-18 win over Salish Kootenai.
The all-American senior averaged 23 points, 3.5 rebounds, four assists and three steals in the wins, hitting 18 of 33 field goals, including four 3-pointers. She was successful on all six of her free throw attempts.
King and the ninth-ranked Bulldogs travel to Chandler, Ariz. and will meet No. 12 Our Lady of the Lake University on Dec. 19, Benedictine University at Mesa on Dec. 20 and 14th-ranked Menlo College on Dec. 21.
