2/11/2008 football Edit

Beasley honored by Big 12 Conference

Big 12 Conference

Publisher

IRVING, Texas - A.J. Abrams (Texas) and Michael Beasley (Kansas State) have been named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week for games of Feb. 4 - 10 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. It is the second weekly accolade for Abrams this season, while Beasley captures a weekly award for the seventh time (two player, five rookie)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

A.J. Abrams, Texas, G, Jr., 5-11, 155, Round Rock, Texas/McNeil

Abrams averaged 23.5 points last week as the Longhorns recorded two road victories. In a 64-54 win at Oklahoma, the junior guard tallied a game-high 22 points with four steals, two assists and no turnovers in 40 minutes. He followed with a game-high 25 points, two steals, three assists and another turnover-free game in 42 minutes of a 71-65 overtime victory at Iowa State. In two outings, he was 15-of-30 (.500) from the field, including 11-of-20 (.550) from 3-point range. He also finished 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Abrams ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring with 17.9 points per game and has reached the 20-point mark 11 times this season.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Michael Beasley, Kansas State, F, Fr., 6-10, 235, Washington, D.C./Notre Dame Prep [Mass.]

Beasley becomes the first player in Big 12 history to win rookie honors in three consecutive weeks after helping Kansas State to two victories. The freshman forward averaged 29.0 points and 13.0 rebounds in Wildcat wins over Nebraska (74-59) and Oklahoma State (82-61). He scored a game-high 35 points versus the Cornhuskers, his school-record eighth 30-point game of the season. Beasley followed with 23 points and 13 boards against OSU, setting a new K-State record with his 19th double-double this year. He shot 57.5 percent (23-of-40) in the two contests, including 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from 3-point range. Beasley's five rookie honors this year is tied for the second-most in Big 12 history (Clifton Clark, Texas A&M, 1998-99) and one less than the record set by Kevin Durant of Texas in 2006-07.