Wildcats’ Azuolas Tubelis named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
Feb 22, 2021, 2:52 PM
Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) shoots over Eastern Washington guard Kim Aiken Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Wildcats big man Azuolas Tubelis made quite the impact in Arizona’s split of the Los Angeles schools last week.
So much so the center was named the Pac-12’s Freshman of the Week.
Tubelis went off, averaging a double-double in Arizona’s last two contests.
It all started Thursday against the UCLA Bruins, where Tubelis dropped 18 points on 66.7% shooting (8-of-12) to go along with eight rebounds and two blocks. Despite the freshman’s effort, the Wildcats were on the losing end of that one, falling 74-60.
He followed up a decent performance with an even better one against the then-No. 17 USC Trojans.
Rising to the occasion against the top team in the Pac-12, Tubelis registered 16 points, 15 rebounds (career high) and three assists in Arizona’s 81-72 victory over USC.
On the season, Tubelis is averaging 12.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26.4 minutes per game. He’s shooting 50.7% from the field and 36.1% (13-of-36) from 3-point land. He’s started 17 of the 23 games played.
Tubelis marks the second Wildcat to win the Freshman of the Week honor this season after guard Bennedict Mathurin won the award on Jan. 4.
