Hayward named Men's Basketball Player of the Week

Dec. 29, 2008

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler University freshman Gordon Hayward has been named Horizon League Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period of Dec. 22-28. The selection marks Hayward's second career weekly honor from the League office.

A native of Brownsburg, Ind., Hayward collected 19 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and one assist in Butler's 74-65 upset of #14/12 Xavier on Tuesday night at the Cintas Center. The forward made 4-of-10 from the field and all 10 of his free throws against the Musketeers.

The win was Butler's first over a nationally-ranked opponent since March 17, 2007, when the Bulldogs defeated #18 Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The victory was also Butler's first on a ranked opponent's homecourt since Dec. 19, 2001, when the Bulldogs knocked off #21 Ball State.

Butler (10-1 overall, 2-0 Horizon League) is up to #25 in the Associated Press poll and just three spots shy of the ESPN/USA Today Top 25.

The Bulldogs, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago, tallied a conference-record 30 wins and were nationally ranked for 19 consecutive weeks in 2007-08.

Hayward leads all Horizon League freshmen in seven statistical categories through the season's first six weeks -- scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (5.7 rpg), steals (1.6 spg), blocks (1.0 bpg), field goal percentage (.489), three point percentage (.462) and threes made per game (2.2).

Butler returns to the hardwood on Tuesday when it hosts UAB at 7 p.m. ET.