For the second time this season an Auburn freshman has been named SEC Freshman of the Week.

This time, after his collegiate debut against Alabama, Sharife Cooper was given the honor.

After waiting on an eligibility ruling from the NCAA and missing 72 days of practice, Cooper started in his first college game.

It was one to remember as he finished the game with 26 points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals in 33 minutes of play.

Cooper scored or assisted on 16 of Auburn’s 29 made field goals in the game.

“I thought, again obviously, you could tell how hard Sharife's worked to stay right and stay ready, you know, what a dynamic player he is,” head coach Bruce Pearl said after the game. “We obviously have been working to try to build the program around him the last couple years knowing he would be coming in, and so it's great to have him back. I think a student-athlete of lesser character could have opted out or done something else, and he was a phenomenal teammate, had a great semester academically and is a terrific student-athlete. So it's great to get him back.”

Cooper and fellow freshman Justin Powell are two of just eight players in the country to score 26 points and have nine assists in a game this season.

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