Purdue's Next Test, Penn State's Lamar Stevens, Named Player of Week
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Penn State senior Lamar Stevens had a heck of a week, averaging 28.5 points per game in two wins over Michigan State and Minnesota. For that work, he was named the Big Ten's Player of the Week.
His next test? Tuesday night in Mackey Arena against the suddenly red-hot Purdue Boilermakers, who have won three games in a row, and four out of five.
Stevens won the conference's Player of the Week award for the second time this year. He . had 57 points and 14 rebounds combined in the wins over Michigan State and Minnesota last week and had a career-high 33 points against Minnesota.
Here's a big surprise in the awards department. Indiana freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis earned his fourth Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor this week after his performance in Saturday's 74-62 loss to Purdue. He had 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the loss to the Boilermakers. This was his fourth award. He also won on Nov. 18, Dec. 2, and Dec. 16.
Jackson-Davis is having a fine freshman season, and he said last Friday that he was coming back for another year. Only Illinois center Kofi Cockburn has won the award more this year. He's won seven times.
The only Purdue player to win an award this season is forward Trevion Williams. He was the Big Ten's Player of the year on Jan. 13 after his 36-point, 20-rebound effort against Michigan.
Here are the award winners by week.
- Nov. 11
Player: Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin
Freshman: Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
- Nov. 18
Player: Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State
Freshman: Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Freshman: Malik Hall, Michigan State
- Nov. 25
Player/Freshman: Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
- Dec. 2
Player: Anthony Cowan, Maryland
Player: Jon Teske, MIchigan
Freshman:Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
- Dec. 9
Player: Luka Garza, Iowa
F: Kofi Cockburn, Iliinois
- Dec. 16
Player: Lamar Stevens, Penn State
Freshman:Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
Freshman:Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
- Dec. 23
Player: Gabe Kalscheur, Minnesota
Player: D'Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin
Freshman: Armaan Franklin, Indiana
Freshman:: D.J. Carton, Ohio State
- Dec. 30
Player:Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Freshman: Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
- Jan. 6
Player:Cassius Winston, Michigan State
Freshman:Joe Toussaint, Iowa
- Jan. 13
Player: Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Player:Trevion Williams, Purdue
Freshman: Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
- Jan. 20
Player:Luka Garza, Iowa
Freshman:CJ Fredrick, Iowa
- Jan. 27
Player:Jalen Smith, Maryland
Freshman: Kofi Cockburn, Illinios
- Feb. 3
Player: Anthony Cowan, Maryland
Freshman: Franz Wagner, Michigan
- Feb. 10
Player: Lamar Stevens, Penn State
Freshman:Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who's worked at some America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star. He also owns the book publishing company, Hilltop30 Publishing Group, and he has written four books and published 16 others.