Lanier Collects Two National Player of the Week Honors

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Chaz Lanier of the University of Tennessee men's basketball team is the Associated Press National Player of the Week and a USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week, as announced Tuesday afternoon.

Lanier is the lone designee from the Associated Press, which also names a runner-up and honorable mentions. This is the first such plaudit of the year for Lanier.

Meanwhile, the USBWA—United States Basketball Writers Association—has five selections each week. Lanier is joined by Queens' Leo Colimerio, St. Bonaventure's Melvin Council Jr., Duke's Cooper Flagg and San Francisco's Malik Thomas.

This is the second week in a row a Volunteer is the AP National Player of the Week, as senior guard Zakai Zeigler earned the plaudit Dec. 31 after a 17-point, 15-assist showing in a Dec. 23 win, 82-64, over Middle Tennessee State.

Lanier previously claimed USBWA National Player of the Week status Nov. 26. He was also the singular Lute Olson Nation Player of the Week the day before.

This is the fourth time in the last two seasons a Volunteer has earned USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week plaudits, as Dalton Knecht did so back-to-back in 2023-24, on both Jan. 16 and Jan. 23.

A fifth-year guard from Nashville, Tenn., Lanier shared SEC Player of the Week distinction Monday with Kentucky's Koby Brea. It marked his second honor of the season.

Last week, Lanier averaged 26.5 points per game in a pair of Volunteer wins. He opened the week with 24 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and his first block of the year in a 67-52 win over Norfolk State on New Year's Eve at Food City Center.

Lanier then poured in a season-best 29 points, the top tally by a Tennessee player this year, in a 76-52 home triumph Saturday afternoon versus No. 23/RV Arkansas. Making his debut in league play, he went 10-of-20 from the field to tie a season high in makes, including 5-of-9 beyond the arc. Lanier also connected on all four of his free throws.

The leading scorer in the SEC, Lanier is putting up 20.3 points per game, a tally that puts him at No. 14 among Division I players. The 6-foot-5, 207-pounder is atop the SEC and second in the country at 4.0 3-point makes per game.

Lanier and top-ranked Tennessee (14-0, 1-0 SEC) begin their league road slate Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla., where they take on eighth-ranked Florida, live on ESPN2.

To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Lanier Collects Two National Player of the Week Honors

Players Mentioned

Dalton Knecht

Chaz Lanier

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