Vinales Earns Second NEC Rookie Honor
Freshman scored 39 points in a road loss at Niagara last week
Central Connecticut freshman guard Kyle Vinales made it 2-for-2 on Monday, earning Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week honors for the second time is as many weeks. Vinales and the Blue Devils dropped an overtime decision at Niagara on Monday, before rebounding for a home win over Army last Saturday.
Vinales is showing no freshman jitters in his first season as a Blue Devil, claiming his second straight Choice Hotles/NEC Rookie of the Week honor.
In just his second game, the Michigan product scored a nation-high 39 points in a 102-93 overtime setback to Niagara last Monday. He scored 29 of his points before halftime, including 16 in the first six and a half minutes. It was the most points by a collegiate player this season, and it put him in an exclusive club, as he became the eighth player since 2005-06 to average 1.50 points per minute while scoring at least 30 against a Division I opponent.
On Saturday against Army, Vinales scored just three points, but posted a team-high seven assists and added four rebounds as the Blue Devils topped Black Knights at home, 67-51. Vinales currently leads the NEC in scoring at 22.0 points per game, and ranks third in made three-pointers (3.0/game) and fifth in three-point percentage (.563).
Vinales and the Blue Devils return to action on Tuesday night hosting UMBC at 7 p.m.