Wright Earns Second Pac-12 Weekly Honor Of The Season

BOULDER – University of Colorado senior guard McKinley Wright IV was named the Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, for the second time this season, the league office announced on Monday.

Wright becomes the first Colorado men's basketball player to win four conference Player of the Week honors during his career; he had been tied at three with Chauncey Billups and Askia Booker. Wright is the third player in the Pac-12 era to earn two Player of the Week honors in one season, joining Josh Scott (2015-16) and Askia Booker (2013-14).

A native of North Robbinsdale, Minn., Wright scored 21 points and dished out seven assists in Colorado's lone game last week, a 74-64 triumph over Grand Canyon at the Far West Classic in Las Vegas. He made 8 of 14 from the floor and 4 of 5 from the free throw line to help the Buffaloes to their fourth-straight win.

Wright recorded his 20th career 20-point game and third this season, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the fifth time in seven games. He is closing in on two major milestones. Wright needs 16 points to become the 11th CU player to reach 1,500 and 20 assists to catch Jay Humphries' school career record of 562 set from 1980-84.

According to College Basketball Reference, Wright is one of five guards nationally – the only one from a Power 5 conference – to average better than 16.0 points, and 60 percent shooting in multiple games played so far this season. He is the only player in the Pac-12 in the league's top 10 in scoring (16.3 ppg, 8th), field goal percentage (.608, 8th) and assists (5.9 apg, 2nd).

Colorado, 6-1 overall, opens Pac-12 play Monday night at Arizona at 7:30 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network and on KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM.