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BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo men's basketball senior forward Darcel Williams (Buffalo, NY/Traditional) has been named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week following back-to-back double-doubles in leading the Bulls to wins over Cornell and Akron this past week. The Bulls (5-2) have won three in a row and have already posted more wins this year than they did all of last year (4-24).

Williams scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds in a 65-54 win at Cornell on Wednesday night. On Saturday, the senior posted 22 more points and had 11 rebounds in a 79-60 victory over Akron in Buffalo's Mid-American Conference opener, marking the first time the Bulls have started conference competition with a win since joining the league in 1998.

To date this season, Williams is leading the Bulls in scoring (17.1 ppg) and rebounding (8.4 rpg) while shooting 95 percent from the free throw line (19-of-20). The 6-6 senior has scored 10 or more points in six of the seven games this year and is shooting 48 percent (43-of-90) from the field.

Williams becomes the first men's basketball player at Buffalo to win the MAC Player of the Week award. Former Buffalo great Mike McKie was honored as the Defensive Player of the Week during the 1999-2000 season.

The Bulls will next take part in the eight-team Yahoo Sports Invitational hosted by Brigham Young-Hawaii on December 20-22 at the Cannon Activities Center. Buffalo and last year's NIT Champions, Tulsa, with tip off the tournament, which also includes Valparaiso, New Mexico State, Navy, Montana and Columbia.