Utah State University Athletics

2002-03 SEASON (SR): Became just the sixth player in USU history to be named a two-time first-team all-Big West selection… led the Aggies’ scoring efforts and ranked sixth in the Big West, averaging 15.7 points per contest… Was named a mid-major All-American by CollegeInsider.com, which consisted of the top-20 players in the country from mid-major universities… Ranked third in the Big West in rebounding (6.6) and sixth in field goal percentage (.468)… Was named Most Valuable Player of the Big West Tournament after averaging 18.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game over a three-game stretch as the Aggies won the tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament… Led the Aggies to back-to-back wins over in-state opponents Utah (12/17) and Weber State (12/21) as he averaged 21.0 points and 5.5 rebounds I the two contests to earn conference Player of the Week honors… Scored in double figures in 26 of the team’s 33 games, while exceeding 20 points on nine occasions… His 29 points against Weber State marked a season-high… Went 9-of-18 from the field, 2-of-5 from three point range and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line while also recording nine rebounds, three steals and a block in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against six-seeded Kansas… Reached double-figure rebound totals in three games and registered a double-double in all three, including back-to-back games against Arkansas State (12/27) and Idaho State (12/28)… Led the team’s scoring efforts in 17 games during the season, while leading the team in rebounding on 14 occasions.
 
2001-02 SEASON (JR): Named first-team all-Big West after leading USU in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (6.9)… Finished second in the league in scoring, sixth in rebounding, seventh in field goal percentage (48.7), seventh in free throw percentage (79.1), and ninth in blocks (0.68)… Earned Big West Conference Player of the Week honors three times during the season which tied Eric Franson for the most ever by a single player during one season… He won the award for the first time after leading the Aggies to a 78-65 win at Utah, which was USU’s first road win over the Utes since the 1991-92 season… His second Player of the Week award came the following week when he scored a career-high 34 points in leading the Aggies to a 90-81 overtime home win against BYU… The third POW award came after he led USU to a road sweep at Long Beach State and UC Irvine… Was named to the Big West Conference all-tournament team after averaging 14.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game… He was also named to the all-Junior College transfer team by CollegeInsider.com as well as to the National Association of Basketball Coaches/Pontiac Division I All-District Team… He scored 532 points during the season, marking only the 38^thtime that a player has scored 500-plus points at USU in a single season… Scored in double-figures in all but two games during the season, including the final 21… Scored 20 or more points nine times during the season and recorded four double-doubles on the year… Averaged 28.1 minutes per game, starting 28… Shot 31.6 percent from three-point range… Recorded a season-high 13 rebounds at Cal Poly.
 
JUNIOR COLLEGE: A two-time runner-up Player of the Year in the state of California… Averaged 27.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore… Shot 46 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range… Had a career-high 52 points… A two-time first-team all-conference and all-state selection… Was the second-leading scorer (23.0 points per game) and rebounder (12.0) in the state of California during his freshman and sophomore seasons… Led his team to the third round of the state playoffs as a sophomore.
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A two-time first-team all-league and all-county selection at Upland High School… Averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game as a senior, leading his team to a 24-4 record.
 
PERSONAL: Born July 16, 1981 in DeQuincy, La… One of four children of Julia Ann and Truman Lee Penigar, Sr… Enjoys reading, watching movies and writing poetry… Majoring in interdisciplinary studies… Uncle Jason Wilson played basketball at LSU, while his mother played basketball at Chaffey City College.