Lawson named co-Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
IRVING, Texas – Kansas redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson averaged 21.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in two games last week and has been named the co-Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in a vote by a media panel which covers the league, the conference announced Monday. This is the fifth conference newcomer of the week for Lawson and his eighth weekly award by the league in 2018-19.
Lawson, who won the honor with Texas’ Courtney Ramey, recorded 18 points with nine rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals at Kansas State. In the win against Oklahoma State the Memphis, Tennessee forward posted his 13th 20-point game of the season with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, with seven rebounds, five assists and one steal.
A national player of the year and All-American candidate, Lawson has four double-doubles in his last seven games and a Big 12-leading 15 for the season, which is tied for seventh nationally. He leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.6 ppg and in rebounding at 10.6 rpg. He is the only player in the league averaging a double-double. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12, 11/26, 12/26) and five-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14, 1/28, 2/11), Lawson leads KU with 28 blocked shots and his 1.2 blocks per game are fifth in the conference. Additionally, his 51.2 field goal percentage is fifth in the league.
Lawson’s honor marks the eighth time this season a Jayhawk has been named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. Last week, freshman Ochai Agbaji earned the honor, while Quentin Grimes was named Nov. 12 and Devon Dotson Dec. 31. Including KU’s five Big 12 Player of the Week honors this season, the Jayhawks have amassed 13 league weekly accolades in 2018-19, a mark which ties KU’s all-time single season high for Big 12 weekly awards.
Kansas (18-6, 7-4) will be at TCU (17-6, 5-5) on Feb. 11 for ESPN Big Monday at 8 p.m. (Central) from Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
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