For the first time since joining the Conference, a West Virginia player - junior guard Juwan Staten - is the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.  Texas freshman guard Isaiah Taylor is the top rookie, the second consecutive week a Longhorn player has been recognized with a weekly honor.  Both players are named for the first time in their careers.  

PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Juwan Staten, West Virginia, G, Jr., 6-1, 190, Dayton, Ohio/Oak Hill Academy/Dayton
Staten averaged 25.0 points, 7.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds as WVU secured wins at Baylor (66-64) and versus Kansas State (81-71).  The junior guard opened the week with 15 points and nine assists against the Bears, including the game-winning shot with 3.1 seconds remaining.  He followed that performance with a career-high 35 points and five assists in the victory over the  Wildcats.  Staten was 18-of-21 (.857) from the free throw line in that game, tying the school record for free throws made.  Overall, he leads the Big 12 in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio and minutes played and also ranks first in the league in scoring (20.4 ppg) for conference games only.

PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Isaiah Taylor, Texas, G, Fr., 6-1, 170, Hayward, Calif./The Village School [Texas]
Taylor recorded a game-high 23 points in the Longhorns’ only contest of the week, an 81-69 win over Kansas that handed the Jayhawks their first conference loss of the season.  The freshman guard connected on 7-of-14 (.500) shots from the field, including 1-of-2 from 3-point range.  He made all eight free throw attempts, while adding one rebound and one steal in 36 minutes of action.  Taylor has recorded back-to-back 20-game efforts in his last two outings and ranks second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg) and steals (22), while leading UT in assists (73).

2013-14 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Weekly Awards