Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr., Baylor’s RayJ Dennis and UCF’s Jaylin Sellers picked up Big 12 men’s basketball awards as McCullar nabbed the second-consecutive Player of the Week honor for the Jayhawks while Dennis and Sellers shared Newcomer of the Week.
McCullar averaged 20.0 points and 8.3 rebounds during Kansas’ appearance at the Maui Invitational, which included games against two top-7 teams. The graduate senior recorded his second straight triple-double (22 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast) in the game against Chaminade to become the first Big 12 student-athlete and the seventh overall in NCAA history to accomplish the feat. During the Jayhawks’ loss to then-No. 4 ranked Marquette, McCullar shot 64.3% (9-14) from the field for 24 points before he closed the week with 14 points and a team high-tying eight rebounds against Tennessee. Dennis earned the NIT Season Tip-off MVP honor after a season-high 24-point and an eight-assist performance to lead Baylor to the tournament title. Facing Florida in the championship game, the senior scored 22 points in the second half where his last three baskets extended BU’s lead to two possessions. Against Oregon State, he registered a team-high six assists. During the week, Dennis averaged 16 points, 7.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Sellers went 12-of-16 against Stetson for a career-high 34 points en route to the Knights’ first Big 12 MBB weekly award. His 34 points were the most registered by any Big 12 men’s basketball student-athlete in a single contest this season. Sellers opened the week with 19 points and six rebounds during UCF’s 74-71 win against Charlotte. In two games, the junior averaged 26.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Big 12 Players of the Week Player: Nov. 13: Ja’Kobe Walter, BU, G, Fr. Nov. 20: Hunter Dickinson, KU, C, Sr. Nov. 27: Kevin McCullar Jr., KU, G, Gr. Newcomer: Nov. 13: Hunter Dickinson, KU, C, Sr. Nov. 20: Hunter Dickinson, KU, C, Sr. Nov. 27: RayJ Dennis, BU, G, Sr. and Jaylin Sellers, UCF, G, Jr.