MELBOURNE, Fla. – Following a week where he established a new career scoring high, University of Tampa men’s basketball player Pat Bacon was tabbed the Sunshine State Conference Men’s Basketball Offensive Player of the Week.

Bacon grabs the Player of the Week nod by averaging 31.0 points across a pair of conference games last week. The Indianapolis native tallied a career-high 40 points on Wednesday evening as Tampa bested Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 92-81, for its first SSC win this season. Bacon played every minute of the 11-point home victory, doubling-up the game’s next highest scorer. He then scored a game-high 22 points in an 80-63 loss at Barry University on Saturday. Bacon scored his 62 points by shooting 47% from the field (20-43), 95% from the free-throw line (19-20), and 30% from behind the arc (3-10). The senior played in 78 of his team’s 80 minutes on the court, where he totaled nine rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Bacon becomes the first Spartan to win Player of the Week honors since he last won the award on November 13, 2017. The senior now has a total of three weekly awards for his career.

Barry’s Tylan Birts was recognized as the men’s basketball defensive player of the week.

Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of January 6 – 12, 2020. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.

2019-20 SSC Men’s Basketball Award Winners (Offense; Defense)

Nov. 11: Brett Hanson, FSC; Romeo Crouch, ERAU

Nov. 18: Elijah Jenkins, ERAU; Luka Majstorovic, ERAU

Nov. 25: Christian Peevy, Lynn; Romeo Crouch, ERAU

Dec. 2: E.J. Dambreville, FSC; Darhius Nunn, PBA

Dec. 9: Brett Hanson, FSC; Jalyn Hinton, FSC

Dec. 16: Jakobi Bonner, Rollins; Luka Majstorovic, ERAU

Dec. 23: Myron Hagins, Eckerd; Rusty Moorer, Saint Leo

Jan. 6: Mark Matthews, NSU; Romeo Crouch, ERAU

Jan. 13: Pat Bacon, Tampa; Tylan Birts, Barry