ARIZONA BASKETBALL
Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis’ 40-point game leads to 2nd Pac-12 Player of the Week award
Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis, left, shoots while defended by Washington State forward Mouhamed Gueye during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis was named the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 40 points against Oregon on Thursday.
Tubelis was 16-of-21 shooting from the floor and was one rebound shy of a double-double.
His 40-point outburst was the most for a Division I player against a power conference opponent since Dec. 2021.
The last time an Arizona player scored 40 points in a game was Damon Stoudamire in 1995.
Additionally, he scored 19 points and added eight rebounds in a win over Oregon State on Saturday.
The two wins improved Arizona’s standing in the AP Top 25 poll to fourth place.
It was the forward’s second Player of the Week award on the season and third in his career.
Tubelis and Purdue’s Zach Edey are the only two players in Division I basketball averaging 20 points, nine rebounds and 55% shooting.
While Edey is the odds-on favorite to win the Wooden Award, Tubelis has the fifth-best odds and can be bought at +4000 to win take home the trophy as the most outstanding college basketball player in the nation.
USC’s Tre White won the honor of Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Week.
