Florida Gators F Tyrese Samuel named SEC Player of the Week
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida graduate transfer forward Tyrese Samuel has been named the SEC Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.
The recognition comes after Samuel produced a pair of big performances to earn All-Tournament Team honors at the NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn last week.
Samuel posted 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots in the win vs. Pitt, becoming the first SEC player in more than seven years to post a 20/10/3/3/3 stat line.
Samuel followed that up with an 18-point outing vs. No. 13 Baylor, adding six rebounds and two steals. For the tournament, Samuel shot 16-for-17 (94.1%) from 2-point range and 84.2% from the floor.
His performance against Pitt was his first 20-point game as a Gator and also marked his second double-double of the season after finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds in the loss to Virginia.
The Gators were without starting sophomore center Micah Handlogten (ankle injury) in the NIT Season Tip-Off, so Samuel’s production was needed in the frontcourt.
“He’s a great leader,” Handlogten said of Samuel. “He’s taught me so much stuff already, so I look up to him. But we also grow as one. And so, as he makes me better, I know that I’m making him better too because we can look for each other.
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“We have really good chemistry. So, like high lows, we always look in for each other to throw it. And so, just being able to work with him, have that guy that I just click with, it’s really great.”
Through six games, Samuel is averaging 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists. In addition to Handlogten, Samuel’s veteran presence has rubbed off on freshmen forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh.
“He’s just a really good player. He’s a veteran, played in the NCAA Tournament before, a guy who averaged double figures in the Big East, so he’s not scared out there. He’s a guy who really understands the game and he’s really good with the ball, he’s really efficient. I think he only missed one shot on Saturday and he scored a good amount. Really impactful player.”
“Helps (the younger bigs) a ton. I think a big part of it is they get to go up against each other every day. And it’s great, both for Condo and for Tommy, to see Tyrese every day. Those guys are good players. So, it’s iron sharpening iron for those guys, and it’s helped us, for sure.”
The Gators return to action at Wake Forest on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. for the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.
