Feb. 20, 2006

MACON, GA - Florida Atlantic's Rodney Webb has been named men's basketball Player of the Week by the Atlantic Sun Conference for the week ending Feb. 19.

Webb, a native of Long Beach, Calif., used a phenomenal week on the court to lift the Owls to within one game of the league lead and capture the weekly award for the first time in his career. Webb is the first winner this season for head coach Matt Doherty's squad and first FAU player to be honored by the conference since Mike Bell won the award on Jan. 31, 2005.

Webb averaged 27.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in two FAU victories - 93-87 over East Tennessee State on Feb. 16 and 81-62 over Kennesaw State on Feb. 18. He shot 82.6% (19-of-23) from the field, 75.0% (6-of-8) from three-point range and 83.3% (10-of-12) at the free throw line during the week.

The senior forward scored a career-high 30 points while knocking down a career-best 10 free throws and hitting nine-of-12 from the field in the crucial victory over ETSU. Thanks in part to that win, the Owls pulled into a tie for third place with the Bucs and Gardner-Webb, and now sit just one game out with two games remaining on their conference schedule.

Webb's 30 points are the highest individual total by any Owl this season. He netted 21 points in the second half alone, helping FAU ward off a 58-point barrage from ETSU in the final 20 minutes.

Webb followed up that performance by shooting a career-best 10-of-11 from the field and draining a career-high four three-pointers in Saturday's win over Kennesaw State, the final home game of his collegiate career.

"Rodney has been fabulous for us all year," stated Doherty when he heard the news. "He has been such a consistent performer all season, averaging nearly 17 points and more than eight rebounds per game in A-Sun play. This week he really took the team on his shoulders and led us to big wins over East Tennessee State and Kennesaw State. We are all very proud of Rodney Webb."

For the season, Webb - a Criminal Justice major - is averaging 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. His nine double-doubles this season rank third in the conference.

Webb played his prep ball at Bellflower High School near Long Beach and came to FAU following two seasons at Long Beach City College.

Webb and the Owls close out the regular season this weekend, traveling to Jacksonville to face North Florida on Thursday and JU on Saturday.