BUFFALO, N.Y. – Senior
Katie Villarini (Hamburg, N.Y./Lockport) of the Buffalo State women's basketball team and fellow senior
Sheldon Adams (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) of the Buffalo State men's basketball are named Bengal Athletes of the Week on Monday. The award honors the best two student-athletes in the week ending on Sunday, Nov. 21.
Villarini, a health and wellness major, continued her scorching hot start to the season, averaging 29.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game as the Bengals went 2-1. She began the busy week with a 31-point, nine-rebound, eight assist performance against Pitt-Bradford, then went for a Betty Abgott Invitational-record 33 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists against Bryant & Stratton-Buffalo. She finished the weekend with 24 points and nine rebounds against Division II D'Youville College on Saturday. Her 57 points scored during the Abgott Invitational were a tournament record.
Villarini is among the nation's best scorers from the first couple weeks of the season, averaging 27.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. The Bengals (3-2) went 2-1 during the week, defeating Pitt.-Bradford 85-48 and Bryant & Stratton-Buffalo 79-65, before falling to Division II D'Youville by a 69-62 score. They will take the week off to prepare for SUNYAC play, which begins with a matchup at Oswego State on Friday, Dec. 3.
Adams, a psychology major, led the Bengals offensively, averaging an impressive 35.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in two contests during the Community Health Center of Buffalo Classic. He started the weekend with a career-high 39 points against Ohio Northern Friday, then followed it up with 32 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals without a turnover against John Carroll Saturday. The 71 points scored over the weekend are the most in the 36-year history of the 'Classic, as he was named to the All-Tournament team for his efforts.
Adams leads the conference in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game, to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. The Bengals (0-3) dropped a pair of games in the Community Health Center of Buffalo Classic, falling to Ohio Northern in overtime by a 90-88 score, then dropped the Saturday matinee to John Carroll by a 95-86 margin. The Bengals will head to Rochester for the second time this season, this time facing St. John Fisher College this Tuesday.
Kudos to: Joel Frazee, men's hockey;
Philbert Weekes, men's basketball;
Tashawni Cornfield, women's basketball.
