For a fifth time this season Charleston Southern leading scorer and rebounder Omar Carter was selected as the Big South's New Balance Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

Carter won the award this time around for his exploits in CSU's 81-77 victory over High Point Saturday as well as his performance in a losing effort at VMI last Monday. Against the Panthers, Carter contributed 19 points and five rebounds and was one of the key factors in a 32-12 CSU run over the course of the final 12 minutes of the game that allowed the Bucs to emerge with the four point victory. Carter scored many key buckets during the stretch, including a jumper with 2:18 remaining that tied the score at 73 a piece, and connected on all seven of his free throw attempts on Saturday. Also, Omar impressed on the defensive end as well, as his respectable performance guarding preseason Big South Player of the Year Arizona Reid allowed CSU to ultimately catch and pass High Point.

Carter preceded the effort with a double-double against the VMI Keydets in a 109-85 CSU loss. Carter totaled a career-high tying 25 points on 10 of 19 shooting and a new career-high of 13 rebounds against VMI as the Keydets struggled to defend against his multi-talented game. The double-double, Carter's fourth on the season, allowed the Charlotte native to maintain his team lead in both scoring and rebounding on the season.

Should Carter finish the season leading the team in both scoring and rebounding, he would be the first freshman in CSU basketball history to do so in a season. Also, by merely leading the team in scoring, Carter would be the first freshman to accomplish that particular feat since freshman Mike Henry lead CSU in scoring in the 1974-75 season.

Omar also ranks in the top 10 in several Big South offensive categories, including free throw percentage (sixth), rebounding (seventh), field goal percentage (ninth) and scoring (seventh). Carter is also the leading scorer in the Big South amongst freshmen and sophomores.

Meanwhile, VMI senior forward Reggie Williams took home the Big South's Choice Hotels Men's Basketball Player of the Week award for the past week. Williams averaged 30.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two wins last week, including a victory at UNC Asheville. He returned to the starting lineup last Tuesday against Charleston Southern and scored 38 points, in addition to going 7-of-13 from three-point range - hitting all seven treys in the first half. He also added six rebounds, two assists and two steals in the victory. Saturday night at UNC Asheville, Williams posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds (six offensive), in addition to seven assists, in helping the Keydets snap the Bulldogs' nine-game home win streak and drop Asheville into second-place in the League standings. For the week, Williams was 25-of-43 from the field ( =.581), 10-of-19 from three-point range ( =.526) and averaged 4.5 assists, 4.5 offensive rebounds and 1.5 steals.

Watch Carter's highlight video from www.youtube.com/csusports

/>