🏀 Udoka Azubuike Earns National, Big 12 Player of the Week Honors
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior Udoka Azubuike had a monster game in KU’s 64-61 win at No. 1 Baylor Feb. 22 and is reaping benefits for his efforts earning multiple weekly accolades Monday.
Nationally, on Monday Azubuike was named the March Madness Player of the Week and also the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week. The Delta, Nigeria, center also garnered the Big 12 Player of the Week in a vote by a media panel which covers the league, the conference office announced Monday. This is the third league player of the week honor for Azubuike this season as he claimed the accolade Jan. 27 and Feb. 10.
Azubuike came up big in Kansas’ 64-61 win at No. 1 Baylor Saturday scoring 23 points and pulling down a career-high 19 rebounds, posting his Big 12-leading 12th double-double of the season. Azubuike was 11-for-13 from the field in the win, including eight dunks, and had three blocked shots against the Bears. It marked the first time in the Big 12 era that an NCAA DI player has tallied 20+ points, 15+ rebounds and 3+ blocks against an AP No. 1 team.
Azubuike averaged 18.0 points and 13.0 rebounds and shot 80% (16-for-21) in two Kansas victories last week. He had 13 points and seven rebounds in the home win against Iowa State on ESPN Big Monday.
On most every national player of the year watch list, Azubuike leads the NCAA in field goal percentage at 74.0% as he has 12 games of 80 percent or more this season. He also leads the Big 12 in rebounding (10.1) and double-doubles (12). A Kareem Abdul-Jabar Award finalist, Azubuike is the only player in the league averaging a double-double. Azubuike has been a force in Big 12 play as he is one of only three players in the NCAA averaging a double-double (12.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg) and 3+ blocks (3.2 bpg) against league foes.
This is the sixth time this season a Jayhawk has been named Big 12 Player of the Week in 2019-20. Sophomore guard Devon Dotson has claimed the accolade three times (12/2, 12/16 and 2/3) while Azubuike has been the Big 12 Player of the Week three times as well (1/27, 2/10, 2/24). Additionally, KU senior guard Isaiah Moss was the Jan. 12 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
