Faulkner scored a career-high 28 points and had three rebounds, three assists and two steals in Western Carolina’s 96-94, double-overtime win over Jacksonville on Nov. 21, scoring 11 of his points in the extra sessions. He shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the contest, making 10 of his 16 attempts and going 3-for-7 (42.9 percent) from 3-point range, as the Catamounts staged an incredible rally to overcome a 22-point deficit in the final six minutes of regulation, with Faulkner scoring eight points in the run. Western Carolina became the first squad in NCAA Division I history to win a game in which it overcame a deficit of more than 20 points with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation.
Three days later in a 70-64 win at Stetson, Faulkner scored 24 points and had six boards and six assists. The redshirt junior from Glasgow, Kentucky, was 11-for-12 from the free-throw line (91.7 percent) and again hit three 3-pointers on the day.
Faulkner was also named the Lou Henson Award National Player of the Week on Monday. The Lou Henson Award, which honors the mid-major national player of the year, was won by Wofford’s Fletcher Magee in 2018-19.
Western Carolina (4-2) opens a three-game homestand when it hosts Bryan on Wednesday at noon.
Other nominees: Kaelon Harris (The Citadel), Lucas N’Guessan (ETSU), Jordan Lyons (Furman), Ethan Stair (Mercer), Isaiah Miller (UNC Greensboro), Josh Sharkey (Samford), David Jean-Baptiste (Chattanooga), Garrett Gilkeson (VMI) and Nathan Hoover (Wofford).
2019-20 Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Nov. 12 Kaleb Hunter, So., G, UNCG
Nov. 19 Mason Faulkner, R-Jr., G, Western Carolina
Nov. 26 Mason Faulkner, R-Jr., G, Western Carolina