Kansas' Thomas Robinson Named Big 12 Player of the Week

Feb. 27, 2012

IRVING, Texas – Kansas junior Thomas Robinson has been chosen the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player, for games of Feb. 20-26 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. Robinson is winning the honor for a league-high fourth time this season.

Robinson helped Kansas clinch at least a tie for its eighth-straight outright or shared regular-season Big 12 Championship. The Washington, D.C., forward began the week with 10 points and 13 rebounds in a 66-58 victory at Texas A&M. He followed that performance with 28 points and 12 rebounds as KU defeated No. 3 Missouri, 87-86 in overtime. Against the Tigers, he had 18 points in the second half and overtime, including a three-point play with 16 seconds remaining to tie the game. He also blocked MU’s shot at the end of regulation to guarantee the extra session. For the week, Robinson averaged 19.0 points and 12.5 rebounds, shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the line.

The four Big 12 Player of the Week honors for Robinson in 2011-12 is tied for the third-most in a season in conference history. The list of four-time honorees includes former KU great Drew Gooden in 2001-02, Texas’ Kevin Durant (2006-07) and P.J. Tucker (2005-06) and Iowa State’s Marcus Fizer (1999-00). All of the previous four-time honorees were later named the Big 12 Player of the Year.

With Robinson’s accolade, Kansas has won Big 12 Player of the Week seven times in 2011-12 by four different players – Robinson, Tyshawn Taylor, Travis Releford and Jeff Withey. The seven times is a season best for Kansas surpassing its six selections during the 2001-02 season.

No. 4/5 Kansas (24-5, 14-2) plays at Oklahoma State (14-15, 7-9) on ESPN’s Big Monday tonight at 8 p.m.