Cal State Fullerton senior Josh Akognon (Petaluma, Calif./Washington State) earned the first Big West Men's Basketball Player of the Week award for the 2008-09 season thanks to a spectacular scoring display at the Verizon Wireless Tip-Off Classic.
   
Akognon scored a career-high 41 points to lead the Titans to a 90-76 victory against tournament host Hawai'i Sunday.  He made 12 of 29 from the field, including 7 of 18 from three-point range.  The 5-11 guard also knocked down 10 of 11 at the free throw line.  The seven threes tied Akognon's single-game best mark and the 41 points also established a new Stan Sheriff Center scoring record.
   
His performance was second only to Bobby Brown's 47-point effort versus Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 16, 2006 in CSF single-game history.
   
Akognon posted 11 points, two assists and a steal in CSF's 76-66 loss to Texas State in the opening game of the tournament.
   
For the week, Akognon averaged 26.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Others nominated:  Tony Osunsanmi (Cal State Northridge); Joe Harden (UC Davis)