Arizona's Markkanen is latest freshman to earn Pac-12 weekly award

Pac-12 Men's Basketball Player of the Week (1/23/17) - Lauri Markkanen, Fr., F, ARIZONA

• Lauri Markkanen, a Midseason Watch List selection for John R. Wooden and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year, earned the Pac-12 Player of the Week award in voting conducted by media who cover the league. Markkanen is also one of four Pac-12 rookies on the Midseason Watch List for the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year award.

• The 7-0 forward from Jyväskylä, Finland led Arizona in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg) in a road sweep of the LA schools, shooting an efficient 14-of-22 from the field (.636) and 8-of-10 (.800) behind the arc for the week.

• His game-high 23 points (8-12 FG, 5-6 3FG) at USC marked the 11th game this season he has led the Wildcats in scoring. He followed up with 18 points (6-10 FG, 3-4 3FG) to help Arizona win at No. 3 UCLA for its best true road win over a ranked opponent since downing No. 1 Stanford in March 2001.

• Markkanen's performance was key to the Wildcats extending their winning streak to 12 consecutive games and remaining unbeaten in Pac-12 play (7-0). With last week's victories, Arizona has road sweeps of both the LA and Bay Area schools in the same season for the first time since 2002-03.

• Markkanen's honor marks the fifth weekly award for a Pac-12 freshman so far in 2016-17, the second-most in a season since the award was created in 1983, trailing only the seven rookie selections in 2007-08.

ALSO NOMINATED: Jabari Bird, CALIFORNIA; Derrick White, COLORADO; Jordan Bell, OREGON; Drew Eubanks, OREGON STATE; Marcus Allen, STANFORD; Lonzo Ball, UCLA; Elijah Stewart, USC; Kyle Kuzma, UTAH; Markelle Fultz, WASHINGTON; Charles Callison, WASHINGTON STATE.

2016-17 PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK