Jan. 20, 2003

OXFORD, Ohio - Miami University junior guard Chet Mason (Cleveland, Ohio/South) was tabbed Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week following last week's games against Toledo and Ohio, the conference office announced Monday. This is the first player of the week honor for Mason.

Mason led Miami against Toledo and Ohio, scoring 17 and 22 points, respectively, to average 19.5 points per game for the week. He came into the week producing just 18 combined points over Miami's previous three games, but got his shooting touch back last week. Mason's career-high 22 points against Ohio lifted Miami to a 77-65 win over the Bobcats, its first road win since Feb. 6, 2002, and first win in The Convo since 1998.

Mason was a sizzling 8-of-10 from the field (.800) and 3-of-4 from three-point range (.750), single-handedly putting together two second-half runs to cinch the game against the Bobcats. Ohio and Miami went back and forth through the early stages of the second half with neither team owning more than a two-point edge. Mason drilled two jumpers and a three pointer off three consecutive Ohio turnovers to give Miami a 48-41 lead with 13:45 remaining. Ohio was able to close the gap to two, 52-50, but Mason retaliated with back-to-back treys and punctuated an 8-0 Miami run with a dunk to hand the RedHawks a 60-50 lead and the RedHawks rolled from there.

He also grabbed a game-high and career-best six steals, all in the second half, which ties for fourth on Miami's single-game chart (three other Miami players have amassed seven steals). It is the most steals in a game by a Miami player since Damon Frierson snagged seven in 1999. As a team, Miami compiled its most steals of the season and committed its fewest turnovers. For the week, Mason hit 65.2 percent of his field goals 55.6 percent of his three-point attempts, averaged 7.0 rebounds per game and collected eight steals.