Maldonado named Mountain West Player of the Week

* University of Wyoming Athletics media relations release added to this report

LARAMIE -- Guard Hunter Maldonado was named the Mountain West Player of the Week on Monday. It marked the second time this season he has garnered the honor and the third time this season a Cowboy has earned the honor.

Maldonado was named MW Player of the Week on Dec. 22 and Graham Ike did so on Dec. 6.

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Maldonado, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo. averaged 18.7 points per game to go along with 10 assists per game averaging a double-double. He also added 6.3 rebounds per game for the Week.

"We're going to ask for him to have the ball in his hands a lot more," UW head coach Jeff Linder said before the season. "He'll play the point some -- in a lot of ways, he played the point last year -- just the way we ran the offense through him.

"... He'll either be at the point or will be the point forward, but the ball will be in his hands a bunch."

He recorded double-doubles against Nevada and San Jose State. He had 11 points and 11 assists against the Wolf Pack. He added 20 points and a career high 12 assists against San Jose State. He had 10 assists in the first half for the most in a single half in school history.

He scored 25 points for the Pokes against New Mexico on Saturday helping lead the Pokes to their sixth-straight win and a 15-2 overall record and 4-0 mark in conference play for the best start since the 2014-15 season.

Maldonado is averaging 36.5 minutes per night on the floor for the Pokes, which is 19th overall in the country. He is pouring in nearly 18 points per outing to go along with 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds. He is shooting 51% from the field.

Maldonado ranks fourth in the nation in assists per game. He's 16th in overall assists with 107 through 16 games.