Arizona’s Brayden Burries (player and newcomer) collected the Big 12 men’s basketball weekly awards, after leading Arizona to a pair of wins. The Wildcats tied the Big 12 Conference record with a 22-0 start to the season after wins over then-No. 13 BYU and Arizona State.
In the Big Monday game at BYU, Burries had a career-high 29 points while stuffing the stat sheet with five rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the 86-83 win. In the 87-74 victory at Arizona State, the guard added 17 points with seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals. The freshman from San Bernardino, California captured his first career Big 12 player and newcomer honors while averaging 23.0 points, becoming Arizona’s second Big 12 Player of the Week this season and marking the third time a Wildcat has been tabbed as the Conference’s top weekly newcomer in men’s basketball.
Joining Burries on the Big 12 Starting Five, which honors strong performances across the Conference, is BYU’s Richie Saunders, UCF’s Themus Fulks, Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey and Kansas’ Bryson Tiller. Saunders averaged 25.5 points and 9.5 rebounds against two AP top 15 teams, including a career-high 33 points with 10 rebounds at then-No. 14 Kansas, good for his first career 30-10 game. Fulks led the Knights to a pair of key wins while averaging 16.5 points and 6.5 assists, highlighted by 21 points and seven assists in the 88-80 win over then-No. 11 Texas Tech. Lipsey orchestrated the Cyclones offense in two 30+ point wins against Colorado and Kansas State, with 15.0 points and 7.0 assists per game, while holding a 14-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Tiller scored 21 points and added seven rebounds as the Jayhawks took down then-No. 13 BYU 90-82, helping KU to its fifth consecutive victory.
Big 12 Player of the Week
Nov. 10 – Koa Peat, Arizona & Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Nov. 17 – Kingston Flemings, Houston
Nov. 24 – P.J. Haggerty, K-State
Dec. 1 – Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Dec. 8 – Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
Dec. 15 – Melvin Council Jr., Kansas
Dec. 22 – Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Dec. 30 – AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Jan. 5 – JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Jan. 12 – Richie Saunders, BYU
Jan. 19 – JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Jan. 26 – JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Feb. 2 – Brayden Burries, Arizona
Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
Nov. 10 – Koa Peat, Arizona
Nov. 17 – Kingston Flemings, Houston
Nov. 24 – Koa Peat, Arizona
Dec. 1 – Moe Odum, Arizona State
Dec. 8 – Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
Dec. 15 – Melvin Council Jr., Kansas
Dec. 22 – LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech
Dec. 30 – AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Jan. 5 – AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Jan. 12 – Honor Huff, West Virginia
Jan. 19 – Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Jan. 26 – AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Feb. 2 – Brayden Burries, Arizona
Big 12 Starting Five:
Brayden Burries, Arizona (player and newcomer)
Richie Saunders, BYU
Themus Fulks, UCF
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Bryson Tiller, Kansas
Courtesy of Big12Sports.com