It’s been almost two months since the last time he won, (December 24th) but Duquesne’s Derrick Colter was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for the third time this season Monday morning. In a stretch of two games against Temple and Rhode Island, Colter averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 assists and 3.0 steals. He also hit two free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining against Temple to give the Dukes their first A-10 win of the season.
The award ties Colter for seventh on Duquesne’s list of most frequent winners of the award. He is now tied with Damian Saunders, who won the award three times in 2008.
Colter made a valiant effort to clinch another win for his team in the late stages of the Rhode Island game but ended up committing a turnover and a costly foul in the final minute and a half of play. He converted a high bank shot off the glass with :24 left to put his team within one again, but the visiting Rams failed to miss their free throws as time expired. Nevertheless, Colter put up another show with 20 points and 7 assists on 6 of 15 from the floor. He also shot 6 of 8 from the free throw line.
Colter has proved to be an indispensable part of Duquesne’s lineup. The 5-11, 175-pound point guard has slowly eclipsed senior Sean Johnson as the team’s leading scorer. He currently averages 13.2 points per game compared to Johnson’s 11.8. From the way things look right now, it appears as though Colter will finish the season as the team leader in points and assists. If he does, that will make him the first underclassman to lead the Dukes in both categories.
Only four players in Duquesne history have ever led the team in both categories: Aaron Jackson (2009), Bryant McAllister (2006), Courtney Wallace (2001) and Mike James (1998).
Colter needs two more Rookie of the Week honors to tie T.J. McConnell (2011) and Robert Mitchell (2007) at five.
Photo Credit: Duquesne Athletics
