Posted: Feb 09, 2026
ETHAN PEARCE OF AUSTIN COLLEGE, a senior from Meridian, Idaho, has been named the SCAC Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Week for games played from Tuesday, February 3 through Sunday, February 8. SCAC Men's Basketball Release (Week 13)
Pearce was a strong presence in the post all weekend as the 'Roos split their road trip, averaging 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals, and 9.5 rebounds per game. He posted four blocks and four steals against Concordia (Tex.). He also averaged 8.0 points and 3.5 assists, and six of his 10 rebounds in a big win over Texas Lutheran came on the defensive glass.
Other outstanding performances in the SCAC:
Junior Me'Khai Taylor of Centenary had an impressive week on the defensive end as he grabbed 24 rebounds (14 defensive) along with posting two blocked shots, two assists, and a steal over three conference wins. He averaged 25.3 minutes/game with 8.0 rebounds/game with a total of 14 points. Junior Gavin Carter of Colorado College set the tone defensively during a 1-1 conference weekend, leading the Tigers with three steals across matchups with McMurry and Schreiner. In Friday’s win at McMurry, Carter recorded two steals and four assists in 30 minutes of action, and followed that effort with another steal and three rebounds at Schreiner, totaling three steals and seven assists over the weekend while logging 64 minutes. First-year Darone Leakes of Concordia (Tex.) was a defensive menace in three wins for Concordia Texas last week. He collected a total of nine steals over three games and in the final game of the week where the Tornados took down Austin College 110-90, Leakes post a career-high six steals. Senior Angel Johnson of St. Thomas (Tex.) anchored the Celts defense across two starts during the week, averaging 2.5 assists per game while posting three steals and a block in 53 total minutes. Johnson finished with a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio in two conference wins. Senior Isaac Orozco of Texas Lutheran posted 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs across three conference contests with seven defensive boards. Orozco added six steals and eight assists while scoring 20 points.
| SCAC Men's Basketball Defensive Players of the Week | |
| Week 1 | Terrion Benson, Colorado College |
| Week 2 | Teigan Edwards, LeTourneau University |
| Week 3 | Aaron San Miguel, Concordia University (Tex.) |
| Week 4 | DJ Miller, University of the Ozarks (Ark.) |
| Week 5 | Nathan Kongolo, University of St. Thomas (Tex.) |
| Week 6 | Corey Thompson, University of St. Thomas (Tex.) |
| Week 7 | Logan Brinkoeter, LeTourneau University |
| Week 8 | Logan Brinkoeter, LeTourneau University |
| Week 9 | Mario Johnson, Schreiner University |
| Week 10 | Jalen Cherry, McMurry University |
| Week 11 | Michael Kennedy, University of Dallas |
| Week 12 | Teigan Edwards, LeTourneau University |
| Week 13 | Ethan Pearce, Austin College |
| Week 14 | |
