West Virginia’s Javon Small (player), Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson (co-newcomer) and TCU’s Noah Reynolds (co-newcomer) were honored with Big 12 men’s basketball weekly awards for the first week of Conference play.
Small helped the Mountaineers to their first 2-0 start in Big 12 play since the 2017-18 season, notching a pair of double-doubles against Kansas and Oklahoma State. The senior hit the winning free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining to lift West Virginia to the program’s first win at Kansas. The guard from South Bend, Indiana had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the 62-61 victory. He followed up that effort with a 24-point, 11-rebound outing against Oklahoma State, as WVU triumphed 69-50 in its Conference home opener. He averaged 18.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists to earn his second weekly honor of the season.
Jefferson averaged 10.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals as Iowa State started Big 12 play 2-0, making the junior one of three players nationally with those totals since Dec. 23. The Las Vegas native tied the Iowa State program record with eight steals in the 79-69 win at Colorado, finishing the game with 13 points and seven rebounds. The forward had eight assists in the 74-55 victory against No. 25 Baylor which marked the Cyclones 26
th consecutive win inside Hilton Coliseum, the third-longest active home win streak in Division I. He was honored by the league for the third time in the past four weeks.
Reynolds hit the game-winning layup with 12.8 seconds to play in the 63-62 win over Kansas State, completing a week where the guard from Peoria, Illinois averaged 20.5 points and 4.5 assists. He scored 23 points off 9-of-16 (56.3%) shooting with seven assists in the Horned Frogs’ Conference opener at Arizona. The senior followed with an 18-point outing against K-State. It marks his first career Big 12 weekly honor.
Big 12 Player of the Week
Nov. 11: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, C, Gr.
Nov. 18: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, C, Gr.
Nov. 25: Norchad Omier, Baylor, F, 5th
Dec. 2: Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State, G, Sr. & Javon Small, West Virginia, G, Sr.
Dec. 9: Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State, G, Sr.
Dec. 16: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, C, Gr.
Dec. 23: Darrion Williams, Texas Tech, F, Jr.
Jan. 6: Javon Small, West Virginia, G, Sr.
Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
Nov. 11: Egor Demin, BYU, G, Fr. & Zeke Mayo, Kansas, G, Sr.
Nov. 18: Egor Demin, BYU, G, Fr. & Joson Sanon, Arizona State, G, Fr.
Nov. 25: JT Toppin, Texas Tech, F, So.
Dec. 2: Tucker DeVries, West Virginia, G/F, Sr.
Dec. 9: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State, F, Jr.
Dec. 16: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State, F, Jr. & Zeke Mayo, Kansas, G, Sr.
Dec. 23: Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State, F, Fr.
Jan. 6: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State, F, Jr. & Noah Reynolds, TCU, G, Sr.