Nov. 27, 2005

CINCINNATI --- Xavier University senior forward Brian Thornton has been named Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Week after scoring a game-high 23 points and grabbing six rebounds in Xavier's 74-55 win over Purdue on Saturday in the John R. Wooden Tradition in Indianapolis.

Thornton scored his 23 points, which is just two shy of his career high that he set in the home win over George Washington last season, on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. Thornton, who led XU with 20 points in the season-opening win, has recorded back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in his Xavier career and just the second time in his collegiate career. Darnell Williams, as a senior in the 1999-2000 season, is the last XU player to start the season with two 20-point games.

Thornton, who leads XU in scoring (21.5 ppg.) and rebounding (7.5 ppg.), has shot a team-high 83.3 percent from the field (15-of-18) over the first two games.

Thornton also won the A-10 weekly award once as a junior.

Xavier hosts Coppin State on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. and plays 2005 NCAA Runner-up Illinois on Saturday afternoon in Chicago.

Xavier Musketeers Men's Basketball

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