ARLINGTON, Texas – Tarleton State’s Jakorie Smith and Grand Canyon’s Tyon Grant-Foster have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Men’s Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, for the game week ending on Sunday, Nov. 26.
 
Smith, a senior forward, was named the MVP of the Sand Division of the SoCal Challenge after leading Tarleton State to a pair of victories in San Juan Capistrano, California. Smith averaged 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest in the tournament, shooting an even 45.0 percent (18-for-40) from the field. Smith erupted for 28 points on 11-of-23 shooting, pulling down seven rebounds while adding two steals in a 66-59 win over Austin Peay on Nov. 20. In a defensive slugfest with CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 22, Smith accounted for 17 points, two rebounds and three steals to guide the Texans to a 59-40 victory.
 
Grant-Foster, a senior transfer guard, repeated as the conference’s top weekly newcomer after a standout showing in GCU’s 86-71 win over North Dakota State on Nov. 25. Grant-Foster poured in 25 points on 11-of-20 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, two assists and three steals, to help the Lopes overcome a five-point (40-35) halftime deficit and defeat the Bison.
 
2023-24 TicketSmarter WAC Men’s Basketball Weekly Awards
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jakorie Smith, Sr., F, Tarleton State (Nov. 27)
Shemar Wilson, Sr., F, UT Arlington (Nov. 20)
DaJuan Gordon, Grad, G, UT Arlington (Nov. 13)
 
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Tyon Grant-Foster, Sr., G, Grand Canyon (Nov. 27)
Tyon Grant-Foster, Sr., G, Grand Canyon (Nov. 20)
Dominique Daniels Jr., Jr., G, California Baptist (Nov. 13)