POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Freshman guard Jao Ituka of the Marist men's basketball team was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week for the seventh time this season on Monday.
 
Ituka's total of seven honors ties the program record, which was originally set by Khallid Hart in the 2013-14 season. This is the second straight week Ituka has been named MAAC Rookie of the Week.
 
Ituka was the Red Foxes' leading scorer in Marist's 3-0 week. He averaged 16.0 points per game and helped lead the Red Foxes to victories over Niagara, at Siena, and against Quinnipiac. Ituka also averaged 4.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals while shooting .810 (17-for-21) from the free-throw line.
 
Against Niagara on Feb. 14, Ituka scored 20 points, had a career-high four assists, and had two rebounds. He shot 6-for-12 from the field, drained his only three-pointer, and went 7-for-9 from the free-throw line. At Siena on Feb. 18, Ituka finished with 23 points, and set career highs with eight rebounds and three steals. He added two assists and went 10-for-12 from the line as Marist erased a 10-point second-half deficit for its first win over Siena at MVP Arena since 2013. Against Quinnipiac on Feb. 22, Ituka set a new career high with six assists, and his three-pointer with 2:51 to play gave Marist the lead for good in its one-point victory over the Bobcats.
 
On the season, Ituka ranks fourth in the MAAC in scoring at 15.3 points per game, and ninth in field goal percentage at .526.
 
The Marist men's basketball team is currently riding a five-game winning streak, its longest in eight years. The Red Foxes (13-13 overall, 8-9 MAAC) return to action on Friday, when they host Manhattan at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU, with an audio broadcast on the Red Fox Network and Varsity Network App. Tickets are available at MaristTickets.com. Marist's senior class will be honored prior to tip-off.