PHILADELPHIA (2/15/04) - Not even the infamous Sports Illustrated "cover jinx" could stop Saint Joseph's standout Jameer Nelson. The senior earned his sixth Atlantic 10 Player of the Week award of the season, for the week ending February 14.

Nelson was featured on the cover of the national magazine which hit newstands on Wednesday, marking the first Saint Joseph's athlete to be featured. Nelson and the Hawks are the subject of SI's cover story.

Nelson averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 4.5 steals in two Saint Joseph's wins as the third-ranked Hawks ran their record to 22-0. The senior shot 14-for-30 (.467) from the field and 7-for-9 (.778) from the line for the week.

In a battle of unbeaten teams in Atlantic 10 play on Feb. 11, Nelson posted 16 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals as the Hawks downed Dayton, 81-67.

Nelson's six Player of the Week awards tie Marcus Camby (UMass, 1996) for the second-most in A-10 history behind the seven Xavier's David West won last season. Nelson has 12 citations in his career, trailing only the14 accumulated by West, last season's National Player of the Year, from 2000-03.

Nelson has established himself as the front-runner for the National Player of the Year awards, and is currently averaging 20.2 points per game.