Mid-Major Madness Player of the Week: Wes Washpun, Northern Iowa Panthers

This was not the Northern Iowa team that you would have expected to score a win over the No. 1 team in the country, but this is the Panthers team that pulled it off.

Led by Wes Washpun, who scored 21 points and dished eight assists to only two turnovers, the Panthers welcomed the Tar Heels into their home and then treated them like unwanted house guests.

Washpun would add three rebounds and two assists in the win, including one of the biggest moments of the game, a half-court, 3-pointer at the half to keep the Panthers in reach at the midway point. For all his contributions in the win and his solid performance against Stephen F. Austin, Wes Washpun is our Mid-Major Madness Player of the Week.

In Tuesday's 70-60 win over the Lumberjacks, Washpun had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. The senior shot 5-for-7 from the floor in the victory.

This strong week for Northern Iowa puts them back in the conversation in the Missouri Valley, one that they seemed to have fallen out of after a loss to Colorado State at home when the pieces didn't seem to quite fit together. The Panthers face Dubuque on Wednesday before heading to North Dakota on Saturday.

Also considered: Anthony Beane, Southern Illinois; Matt Scott, Niagara; Jarelle Reischel, Eastern Kentucky, Matt Bohannon, Northern Iowa; Shevon Thompson, George Mason.

Player of the Week Winners:

Week 1: Marcus Graves, Sacramento State