RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas-Monticello’s LA Farmer (pictured left) and Arkansas Tech’s Roselis Silva (pictured right) have been named the Great American Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players of the Week for their performances in the final week of the 2011-12 regular season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Arkansas-Monticello senior guard LA Farmer has been named the GAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the third time of the 2011-12 season after averaging 28 points per game for the Boll Weevils (20-8, 10-6 GAC) in a 3-0 week to clinch the No. 3 seed in the upcoming inaugural conference championship tournament. The Carrollton, Ga. native tallied a three-game total of 84 points, shot 52.8 percent from the field (28-of-53), 50 percent on three-pointers (9-of-18) and 76 percent at the foul line (19-of-25). He also recorded 13 rebounds, nine assists and five steals throughout the week. Farmer opened his player of the week campaign by eclipsing the 1,000 career points milestone in a 71-68 overtime win at home over Southern Arkansas this past Monday. He sunk 10-of-16 field goals and 3-of-3 from the foul line for 25 points, while also adding five rebounds and three assists. On Thursday, Farmer tallied his career high of 34 points in an 80-73 win at home over Harding, highlighted by five three-pointers. Two days later, Farmer closed the regular season with his conference-best 16th game of at least 20 points by making 8-of-17 field goal attempts and 7-of-11 free throws for 25 points in a 81-77 overtime win over Ouachita Baptist on the road. Farmer now has a two-year UAM career total of 1,081 points. His 568 points this season ranks first in the GAC and his average of 20.3 points ranks second in the league.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Arkansas Tech junior guard Roselis Silva has been named the GAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the first time of her career after averaging 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and just under six steals per game in a 3-0 week to help the Golden Suns (22-3, 13-3 GAC) capture the inaugural GAC regular season championship. The Caracas, Venezuela native tallied a three-game total of 60 points, shot 58.3 percent from the field (21-of-36), 70 percent on three-pointers (7-of-10) and 73.3 percent at the foul line (11-of-15). She also recorded 18 rebounds, 15 assists and 17 steals throughout the week. Silva began the final week of the season by making 6-of-12 field goals and 3-of-6 free throws for 18 points in a 73-62 win over Harding on the road last Monday. She also added an ATU and GAC record 12 steals in the win for her fifth double-double of the season. On Thursday, Silva scored a career-high 27 points after making 10-of-17 field goal attempts in an 80-70 win over Ouachita Baptist on the road. Two days later, she closed the regular season with 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 93-58 win over Southern Arkansas at home.

NOTABLE NOMINEES
M – Johnie Davis, SR, G, Arkansas Tech (25.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 7 assists, 5 steals in a 2-1 week)
M – Emmanuel Engulu, SR, G/F, Ouachita Baptist (14.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 62.9 FG pct. in a 2-1 week)
M – Andrew Ensley, JR, F, Henderson State (19.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 56.5 FG pct. in a 1-2 week)
M – Chris Roussell, JR, G, Southeastern Oklahoma State (15.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 62.5 FG pct. in a 0-2 week)
W – Chelsea Johnson, SR, G, Arkansas-Monticello (17.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg in a 2-1 week)
W – Fanta Toure, JR, C, East Central (11.5 ppg, 11 rpg in a 1-1 week)
W – Beulah Osueke, SR, G/F, Ouachita Baptist (10.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg in a 2-1 week)
W – Cheree Freeman, SR, G, Henderson State (17.7 ppg, 52.3 FG pct. in a 2-1 week)
W – MaRiah Oyler, JR, G, Southwestern Oklahoma State (17.5 ppg, 61.1 FG pct in a 2-0 week)