DAHLONEGA -- No. 9 University of North Georgia (UNG) men's basketball junior guard Cayden Charles was named as the first National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and Division II Conference Information Directors Association (D2CIDA) National Player of the Week, announced by the NABC Tuesday afternoon. 

The junior guard from Kennesaw, Ga., scored 28 with 11 rebounds in the season-opening win over St. Thomas Aquinas at the Small College Hall of Fame Classic, then scored 10 as UNG upended preseason No. 1 Minnesota State.  

In the Southeast Region Crossover last weekend, Charles torched the competition in both games, helping No. 9 UNG go 2-0 on the weekend and move to 4-0 for just the third time in the NCAA Division II era (2005) in program history.

On Friday against Limestone in the Nighthawks' first true road game of the year, Charles dropped 17 points by going 4-for-8 from the floor and 9-for-12 at the free throw line. He added five rebounds and two steals in a comeback win. Less than 24 hours later against Young Harris, Charles exploded for a career-high 34 points on 10-of-13 shooting while going 11-for-14 from the stripe.

He poked one of UNG's three steals in the final two minutes to get past the Mountain Lions. Charles' 34 points are tied for the third post in a game in the Division II era in program history.

In the four games, he hit 30 of 37 free throws and shot 61% from the field.  He is currently ranked sixth in the Peach Belt Conference in scoring and rebounding. He's reached double figures in all four games this season and is currently averaging 22.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 61.4 percent from the floor. 

Charles becomes the first player in program history to win the NABC-D2CIDA National Player of the Week Award, winning the inaugural award from the joint initiative from the two associations. 

Charles and UNG will now get ready for the 2024-25 home opener tonight, Tuesday, Nov. 12. At Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center, the Nighthawks will face Tusculum at 7 p.m. in its first game back at home since the Southeast Regional Championship last season.