Anthony earns pair of weekly honors

Posted By: Donny Nadeau On: 2023-02-21
Posted On: 2023-02-21

Raheem Anthony (Chicago, Ill.) closed out the regular season with two stellar showings in back-to-back Saint Mary’s University men’s basketball team, averaging 31.0 points-per-game and 9.0 rebounds-per-game in leading the Cardinals to a pair of conference wins — the first an 83-67 win over Bethel last Wednesday that locked up SMU’s third MIAC Playoff berth in the last five years, and a 77-69 victory over Gustavus three days later that locked up the No. 3 seed for the six-team post-season tournament.

And the Cardinal senior was rewarded for his efforts, being named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, and selected to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week on Tuesday.

Anthony kicked off his week scoring 29 points and added five rebounds in SMU’s playoff-clinching rout of Bethel, before adding a 33-point, 13-rebound effort against Gustavus three days later.

For the week, Anthony shot 60.0 percent from the field (21-for-35) with three 3-pointers, and added a near-perfect 17 of 18 effort from the free throw line. The senior finished with 18 rebounds, 14 assists, six steals and one block, while playing 77 of the possible 80 minutes.

Anthony capped his 11th double-double of the season with his 33 points — the sixth time this season he has scored 30 or more points — and 13 rebounds against the Gusties last Saturday.

Heading into Tuesday’s MIAC Playoff quarterfinal game against Hamline, Anthony — who has scored in double figures in all 25 contests this season — is averaging a team- and conference-leading 24.9 ppg, His 24.9 ppg scoring average is not only tops in the conference, but is also No. 2 in all of NCAA Division III, behind E.J. Day of Lasell (25.8 ppg).