MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fifth-year senior Keyontae Johnson was honored for the second time this season as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday (December 19) after his impressive performance in Kansas State’s 71-56 win over Nebraska in the Wildcat Classic.
Johnson, who earned Newcomer of the Week accolades after the first week of the season on Nov. 14, played perhaps his best all-around in game in helping the Wildcats (10-1) extend their best start to a season since 2016-17, with game-highs in points (23), rebounds (11) and steals (4) as he connected on 9-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. It was his seventh career double-double with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, while it was his 11th career 20-point contest. He has now scored in double figures in all 11 games this season.
A 6-foot-6, 230-pound forward from Norfolk, Va., Johnson leads the Wildcats in both scoring (17.8 ppg.) and rebounding (6.8 rpg.) while he is second in steals (1.5 spg.) and third in assists (2.3 apg.) in He is connecting on a Big 12-best 60.3 percent (70-of-116) from the field, including 51.5 percent (17-of-33) from 3-point range, while hitting on 76.5 percent (39-of-51) from the free throw line. He ranks among the Big 12’s top-10 in six categories, including second in scoring, fifth in minutes (31.3 mpg.), sixth in rebounding and defensive rebounds (4.73), ninth in free throw percentage and 10th in offensive rebounds (2.09).
Johnson is the first Wildcat to capture Big 12 Newcomer of the Week twice in the same season since Dean Wade did it on two occasions in 2015-16. Overall, it marks the school’s 34th Newcomer of the Week honor since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including the second under head coach Jerome Tang. It is the third career weekly honor for Johnson, who was named the SEC Player of the Week on Nov. 25, 2019, while playing at Florida.
Johnson and fellow senior Markquis Nowell have combined for three Player of the Week honors.
K-State (10-1) returns home on Wednesday afternoon to face Radford (6-6) in the second game of a men’s and women’s doubleheader at Bramlage Coliseum at 1:30 p.m., CT. Tickets start at just $5 for groups of 12 or more and $7.50 when utilizing the four-pack option. They can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.
