Rush Big 12 Rookie of the Week; Specialty Awards Handed Out

March 6, 2006

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Freshman Brandon Rush has been named Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Week for games of Feb. 27 – March 5 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. Rush is named top rookie for the third time in 2005-06.

The Kansas City, Mo., native led the Jayhawks to victories over Colorado (75-54) and Kansas State (66-52) last week, as KU earned a share of the Big 12 regular season title with Texas. The freshman guard averaged 18.5 points and 6.0 rebounds, shooting 44.8 percent from the floor. He also shot 53.8 percent from 3-point range, while recording three assists, two steals and one block. He scored 18 of his career-high 24 points against KSU in the second half. Rush’s three rookie selections are the most by a Kansas player in Big 12 history.

His selection also marks the fifth time this season a Kansas player has been named Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week, the most in school history for a season.

The conference’s specialty awards were also handed out over the weekend. Voted on by a media panel which covers the league, the Kansas trio of Mario Chalmers, Rush and Julian Wright were named to the All-Freshman Team. Additionally, Chalmers and sophomore Russell Robinson were named to the All-Defense Team.