Arizona’s Markkanen named Pac-12 Player of the Week for second time
Feb 20, 2017, 11:41 AM
Arizona's Lauri Markkanen dunks against Washington during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Seattle. Arizona won 76-68. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
In less than the span of a month, Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen has been honored twice with a conference award.
Markkanen was named the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for games played from Feb. 13-19.
The 7-foot 230-pound forward from Finland averaged 22.5 points on 53.3 percent shooting and 12.0 rebounds in the Wildcats’ 2-0 week.
He achieved 19 points and 11 rebounds on Thursday’s 78-59 win against Washington State and posted his first career 20-10 game with 26 points and 13 rebounds at Washington on Saturday, a 76-68 win for Arizona.
Markkanen’s honor is the seventh weekly award for a Pac-12 freshman so far this season, tying the most in a single season (2007-08) since the award was created in 1983.
The 19-year-old earned his first Pac-12 Player of the Week award on Jan. 23.
The Wildcats are now the fourth ranked team in the latest Associated Press poll following their sweep of the Washington schools. This is Arizona’s best ranking since beginning the 2014-15 season 12-0.
Arizona is atop the Pac-12 Conference at 14-1 with a 25-3 overall record. The Wildcats have won four games in a row and 19 of their last 20 games.
The Wildcats will host USC on Thursday and welcome ESPN College GameDay Basketball for their Saturday matchup against UCLA.
