Monday, November 19, 2007

MACON, Ga. - One week after leading Gardner-Webb to an upset of nationally ranked Kentucky, Gardner-Webb’s sophomore guard Grayson Flittner continued to excel on the national stage. He averaged 17.0 PPG and made 50 percent of the 3-point field goal attempts in games against Connecticut and Oklahoma at Madison Square Garden as part of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic. In two other games during the week, Flitter averaged better than 26.0 PPG and he connected on 56.5 percent of this 3-point attempts. For the week he averaged 21.8 PPG and hit 23 3-point field goals, the most in the nation. He follows teammate Aaron Lind as the Atlantic Sun Conference’s Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.

Flittner, an elementary education major from Sharpsville, Ind., had an enormous week despite playing a marathon-like schedule that included four games over a five-day stretch. The 6-0, 190-pound guard hit six or more three-point baskets in three of the week's four games. Flittner’s 23 3-point field goals on the week rank just two fewer than the total he accumulated in 27 games last season. Flittner leads GWU in scoring so far this season at 19.3 PPG, and has made more threes than anyone else in the A-Sun has attempted individually. Flittner has made more 3-point field goals through six games, 27, than eight other teams in the A-Sun 2007-2008.

Flitter and Gardner-Webb will get a second at Connecticut when the two meet in Storrs, Conn., on Tuesday. The Runnin’ Bulldogs gauntlet of schools from the “BCS” conferences concludes on Saturday with a date at Clemson. After the Clemson game, five of Gardner-Webb’s first eight will have come against schools from one of those six conferences.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is a 12-member league committed to Building Winners for Life, with a focus on academic and athletic integrity and a balance between the two for the student-athlete, and maintaining a high level of sportsmanship. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun encompasses six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun consists of some of the most dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Gardner-Webb University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Other Top Performers

Justin Hare, BEL (Sr. – G – Cleveland, Tenn. – Exercise Science/Pre-Med) – Hare scored a season-high 25 points in win at Samford; Led team with 13 points at Austin Peay; Leads Bruins in scoring, 16.4 PPG

Andrew Reed, ETSU (Sr. – F – Port Richey, Fla. – Pharmacy) – Scored 17 points and collected eight rebounds in the Bucs' win over Eastern Kentucky. Reed hit on 7-of-11 attempts from the floor.

Ben Smith, JU (So. – G – Dublin, Ga. – Undeclared) – Averaged 20.5 PPG and 7.0 APG in two wins with four turnovers in 71 minutes of play; Leads A-Sun in assists and ranks in top five in scoring and FT Pct