Kansas Basketball Sweeps Big 12 Weekly Awards

After two big wins kept Kansas in a tie for first place entering the final week of the season, senior Elijah Johnson and freshman Ben McLemore have been chosen as the latest winners of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player and Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced. Johnson is named for the first time in 2012-13, while McLemore earned top rookie for the third time.

PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Elijah Johnson, Kansas, G, Sr., 6-4, 195, Las Vegas, Nev./Cheyenne
Johnson averaged 25.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the Kansas wins over Iowa State (108-96 in overtime) and West Virginia (91-65). The senior guard began the week with a stellar performance in Ames, finishing with a career-high 39 points - the most for a KU player since January 5, 1991. He scored eight points in the final 35.7 seconds to help tie the game and then contributed 12 points in the extra session. Johnson followed that with his second career double-double by posting 12 points and a career-high tying 10 assists versus WVU. He shot 56.7 percent in the two games, including 64.3 percent from 3-point range, while making 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ben McLemore, Kansas, G, Fr., 6-5, 195, St. Louis, Mo./Christian Life Center [Texas]
McLemore averaged 21.5 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 66.7 percent from the field in the two victories. His top performance came versus the Mountaineers, as he finished with 36 points on 12-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range. The point total set a Kansas freshman record and he became just the fifth Big 12 freshman in league history to score 36 points or better in a game. McLemore has three outings with 30 points or more this year - all against Big 12 opponents. He has scored 20 points or more eight times in 2012-13.