Pac-12 weekly award for Arizona's Markkanen ties most ever by freshmen

Feb 20, 2017

Pac-12 Men's Basketball Player of the Week (2/20/17) - Lauri Markkanen, Fr., F, ARIZONA

• National Player and Freshman of the Year candidate Lauri Markkanen earned his second Pac-12 Player of the Week award in voting conducted by media who cover the league.

• Markkanen's honor marks the seventh weekly award for a Pac-12 freshman so far in 2016-17, tying the most in a season since the award was created in 1983, matching the seven rookie selections in 2007-08.

• The 7-0 forward from Jyväskylä, Finland averaged a double-double of 22.5 points on 53 percent shooting (16-30) and 12.0 rebounds to lead league frontrunner Arizona to a road sweep of the Washington schools. It marked the Wildcats' third road sweep of the Conference season.

• Markkanen opened the week with a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double in a 78-59 victory at Washington State on Thursday, then posted his first career 20-10 outing with 26 points and 13 boards as Arizona edged Washington, 76-68, on Saturday.

• Markkanen appears on the current finalist lists for the John R. Wooden, James Naismith and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year awards, the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year honor and the Karl Malone National Power Forward of the Year.

ALSO NOMINATED: Dillon Brooks, OREGON; Stephen Thompson Jr., OREGON STATE; Dorian Pickens, STANFORD; Bryce Alford, UCLA; Markelle Fultz, WASHINGTON; Josh Hawkinson, WASHINGTON STATE.

2016-17 PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Week of	Player
Nov. 14	Tres Tinkle, Oregon State
Nov. 21	Charlie Moore, California
Nov. 28	Lonzo Ball, UCLA
Dec. 5	TJ Leaf, UCLA
Dec. 12	Derrick White, Colorado
Dec. 19	TJ Leaf, UCLA
Dec. 26	Jordan McLaughlin, USC
Jan. 2	Dillon Brooks, Oregon
Jan. 9	Ivan Rabb, California
Jan. 16	Bryce Alford, UCLA
Jan. 23	Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
Jan. 30	Shaqquan Aaron, USC
Feb. 6	Dillon Brooks, Oregon
Feb. 13	Lonzo Ball, UCLA
Feb. 20	Lauri Markkanen, Arizona