Jeff ledbetter is the WAC POW

Idaho's Jeff Ledbetter has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 10-16. The honor marks the first career WAC Player of the Week award for Ledbetter.

Ledbetter, a senior guard from Brea, Calif. (Irvine Valley CC), led Idaho to a pair of wins against Nevada (72-67) and Cal State Bakersfield (78-77, OT). The win over Nevada extends Idaho's WAC winning streak to a school-record four games. Against Nevada, Ledbetter went 4-for-8 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line, scoring 17 points with a career-high three steals and two assists. He grabbed steals on three consecutive possessions late in the first half and scored seven straight points for Idaho to eliminate a four-point Nevada leads to put the Vandals ahead at the half.

On Saturday at Cal State Bakersfield, Ledbetter played a key role in the overtime victory.  He stole the ball late in the game and scored on the break to get the Vandals to within one point, the shortly after, hit a buzzer-beating three-point field goal to give Idaho the 78-77 victory.

On the week, Ledbetter averaged 15.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.5 steals per game. He shot 50.0 percent (9-of-18) from the field and 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from three-point range. He also hit 100 percent (6-of-6) of his shots at the free throw line.

Other nominees:  

    * Boise State senior forward Robert Arnold

    * Nevada freshman guard Deonte Burton

    * New Mexico State junior forward Troy Gillenwater

    * Utah State junior guard Brockeith Pane