Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson (player) and LeJuan Watts (newcomer) swept the Big 12 men’s basketball weekly awards after a 2-0 week for the Red Raiders that included their signature win of the season, an 82-81 victory over then-No. 3 Duke in New York City. Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Houston’s Kingston Flemings added freshman star power to the Big 12’s Starting Five, which honors strong performances across the league.
Anderson scored 27 points, 23 of which came in the second half, and hit the game-winning free throw in the final seconds in the win against the Blue Devils in Madison Square Garden. The sophomore from Atlanta averaged 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the week, starting with a 14-point, six-assist game in the 101-90 win over Northern Colorado. The guard played all 40 minutes against Duke, going 5-for-9 on 3-point attempts while adding five assists and three steals. It is his second player of the week nod of the season after receiving the honor in the opening week of the season.
Watts had a career-high 36 points in the 101-90 win over Northern Colorado, making his first 12 shots, as the Washington State transfer became the first player in Big 12 history to shoot over 90% in a 35+ point game. The junior forward from Fresno, California posted 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals at The World’s Most Famous Arena in just 27 minutes of game time against Duke. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year averaged 28.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals as he collected his first Big 12 weekly honor.
Yessoufou helped Baylor become the second Big 12 team all-time to score 110 points in back-to-back games, while adding 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Dybantsa averaged 29.0 points in two BYU wins, running his streak of 15+ points and 4+ rebounds to 12 games, the most to start a collegiate career at a major conference school since Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse) in 2002-03. Flemings scored 21 points while adding six rebounds, five assists and three steals, to guide the Cougars to a 94-85 win over No. 14 Arkansas in Newark, N.J.
Big 12 Player of the Week
Nov. 10 – Koa Peat, Arizona & Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Nov. 17 – Kingston Flemings, Houston
Nov. 24 – P.J. Haggerty, K-State
Dec. 1 – Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Dec. 8 – Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
Dec. 15 – Melvin Council Jr., Kansas
Dec. 22 – Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
Nov. 10 – Koa Peat, Arizona
Nov. 17 – Kingston Flemings, Houston
Nov. 24 – Koa Peat, Arizona
Dec. 1 – Moe Odum, Arizona State
Dec. 8 – Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
Dec. 15 – Melvin Council Jr., Kansas
Dec. 22 – LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech
Big 12 Starting Five:
Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Kingston Flemings, Houston
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech (player)
LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech (newcomer)