TOLEDO, OH — Senior forward Steve Taylor, Jr. has been named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. The honor marks the second time this season Taylor has received the award and the fourth time a Rocket has been tabbed for the accolade.
 
     A Chicago, IL native, Taylor, posted a pair of double-doubles last week and averaged a team-high 24.0 points, 15.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game. Taylor also registered a team-best 57.6 field-goal percentage (19-of-33) in the Rockets' road contests at Ball State and Bowling Green.
 
     Taylor opened the week with an impressive 23-point, 18-rebound outing against the Cardinals during which he shot 9-of-18 from the field. He was even more efficient against the Falcons by hitting 10-of-15 shots en route to a 25-point, 13-rebound effort.
 
     Taylor ranks second on the team in scoring with 16.0 ppg to go along with a MAC-best 12.5 rpg and a team-high 3.8 apg. He ranks third nationally in rebounding (through Feb. 4) and leads the country with 10.0 defensive rpg (just ahead of Purdue's Caleb Swanigan's total of 9.9). In addition, Taylor's 17 double-doubles are tied for second in the nation.
    
          Taylor and the Rockets are back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 7 vs. Eastern Michigan in its first of two home games this week. Tip-off time is set for 7:00 p.m.