Withey Named Big 12 Player of the Week for Second Straight Week
KU center joins elite company of Jayhawks having earned the accolade
Feb. 25, 2013
IRVING, Texas - For the second straight week, Kansas senior
Jeff Withey has been named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week in a vote of a media panel which covers the league, the conference office announced Monday. Withey is receiving the accolade for the third time this year and fourth time in his career.
Withey averaged 17.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in two Jayhawk victories last week. The San Diego, center opened with his third straight double-double, tallying 17 points and a season-high 14 boards in the 68-67 double-overtime win at No. 14 Oklahoma State. He then contributed 18 points and six rebounds in Kansas’ 74-48 victory against TCU. For the week, Withey shot 52.6 percent (10-of-19) and connected on 83.3 percent (15-of-18) of his attempts from the free throw line. Withey also had seven blocked shots last week, increasing his Kansas and Big 12 career records total to 272.
Withey is the first player this season to win back-to-back Big 12 Player of the Week honors. His four times receiving the honor for his career joins him with former Kansas greats Kirk Hinrich, Drew Gooden, Raef LaFrentz and his former teammate
Thomas Robinson and only trails five-time Big 12 Player of The Week Jayhawks selections
Wayne Simien and Nick Collison. All of the aforementioned were named to All-America first teams their final seasons at Kansas.
Kansas (23-4, 11-3) will play at Iowa State (19-8, 9-5) tonight on ESPN Big Monday at 8 p.m. (Central). KU has won four straight games, while ISU is undefeated in Hilton Coliseum this season and has a 22-game home-court winning streak.