GREENWOOD, Ind. – Junior forward Robert Smelser of Ohio Valley was announced as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week for his efforts over the weekend.
 
Smelser helped pave the way for the Fighting Scots in their first win of the season in conference action on Saturday against reigning G-MAC tournament champ Alderson Broaddus.
 
The talented 6-8 post player from Bloomery, W.V., bruised his way to 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting to complement six rebounds, four assists and three swatted shots.
 
Thirteen of Smelser’s 17 points came in the second half as OVU nursed a two-point edge at halftime. Behind his efficiency in the post, Ohio Valley pulled away down the stretch and beat the Battlers by a 17-point margin.
 
He made six of his seven shots in the second half alone as OVU officially ended a frustrating spell to begin the 2014-15 campaign after enduring an eight-game slide.
 
On the season, Smelser is averaging 14.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, while shooting over 63 percent from the field and nearly 82 percent from the free throw line.
 
Through nine games played in, Smelser currently leads the G-MAC in blocks per game and is ranks second in field goal percentage. He has a top-10 ranking in five major statistical categories within the conference.