Feb. 19, 2007
Watch Complete Post-Game Video Coverage of Vanderbilt’s 83-70 Win of No. 1 Florida
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Vanderbilt senior swingman Derrick Byars was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week the league office announced on Monday. It marks the second time this season the Memphis native has earned the accolade.
Continuing to make his case for SEC Player of the Year, Byars put together his best week in a Vanderbilt uniform. The University of Virginia transfer scored a career-high 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting to go along with seven rebounds in the Commodores’ 78-68 win over South Carolina on Wednesday. Three days later he tied Shan Foster for team-high honors with 24 points in Vanderbilt’s 83-70 victory over No. 1 Florida on Jan. 17. Byars made 11-of-19 field goals against the Gators while tying his career high with eight assists and establishing a new personal best with five steals.
For the week, Byars shot an amazing 64.7 percent from the field (22-of-34), 46.1 percent from 3-point range (6-of-13) and averaged 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 steals.
The versatile Byars ranks among the SEC leaders in seven statistical categories during league play, including scoring (second at 19.7 points per game), field goal shooting (sixth at 51.8 percent), 3-point shooting (sixth at 41.3 percent), 3-pointers per game (seventh at 2.58) and steals (tied for eighth at 1.50).
Byars also has performed well under fire, averaging 19.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shooting 53.6 percent from the field in eight games against ranked opponents.
Byars has led the Commodores in scoring in nine of their last 11 games, scoring 20 or more points seven times.
On the season, Byars leads Vanderbilt averaging 16.8 points and 1.4 steals. He is second on the team in rebounds (4.9) and assists (3.2) and is third in field goal shooting (48.5 percent).
Byars also won SEC Player of the Week honors for Week 11 (Jan. 12-18) after posting a game-high 23 points in a 72-67 win at then-No. 25 Kentucky on Jan. 25 after recording 15 points in Vanderbilt’s 94-73 home victory against then-No. 10 Alabama on Jan. 17.
Byars is only the fourth Commodore in school history to earn the SEC Player of the Week award twice in one season, joining Matt Freije (2004), Dan Langhi (1999) and Will Perdue (1988). The SEC started handing out the weekly honor in 1985.