Russell Rau Named GNAC Player of Week

WINTHROP, Mass. - After averaging a double-double in leading the Regis College men's basketball team to two victories in Atlanta, Ga., junior Russell Rau (Fitchburg, Mass.) has been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball Player of the Week, announced Tuesday, Jan. 2, by the league office.

Rau was named Most Valuable Player of the Jack Berkshire Classic hosted by Oglethorpe University after averaging 27.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game for the Pride. He shot 57.9 percent (22-for-38) from the field, including 44.4 percent (8-for-18) from behind the three-point line, and made all three of his free throw attempts as Regis defeated Belhaven University of the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) and Oglethorpe University from the Southern Athletic Association (SAA).

Last Friday against Belhaven, he notched his third double-double of the season with 27 points and 13 rebounds, including two three-pointers during a 12-0 scoring run that established the Pride's largest lead of the game at 68-58. After Belhaven rallied to take the lead, Rau hit a step-back jumper with 1:31 remaining in regulation that proved to be the game-winning basket.

Less than 24 hours later, Rau overcame a slow start by scoring 14 straight Pride points late in the first half that helped turn a nine-point deficit into a two-point halftime lead. He would score 14 points in the second half to finish with a season-high 28 points along with 12 rebounds, punctuated by a layup with 1:37 remaining in regulation that helped solidify the 79-74 Regis victory over the host school.

For the season, Rau is now tied for second in the GNAC in made three-pointers per game (3.0), third in rebounding (8.6 rpg), fourth in three-point field goal percentage (45.8%), and sixth in scoring (17.6 ppg). In just his third season, Rau has become the ninth player in program history to score at least 800 career points and the sixth player in program history with at least 100 career made three-pointers, entering the 2024 portion of the schedule with 817 career points and 102 career made three-pointers.

This is the first GNAC weekly award this season for a Regis men's basketball player and the third career GNAC Player of the Week honor for Rau, as he was recognized twice last season in the span of three weeks (1/30/23 and 2/13/23). He earned Second Team All-GNAC recognition last season after averaging 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game for the Pride.

Regis College (4-7) hosts Brandeis University Wednesday, Jan. 3, beginning at 2 p.m. before resuming conference play at Anna Maria College Saturday, Jan. 6, for a 12 p.m. tipoff.