Arizona's Ayton adds second Pac-12 men's basketball weekly honor
Pac-12 Men's Basketball Player of the Week (1/1/18) - Deandre Ayton, Fr., F, ARIZONA
• National Player and Freshman of the Year candidate Deandre Ayton of ARIZONA earns the Pac-12 Player of the Week award for the week of Dec. 25-31 as voted on by media who cover the league. Ayton, who was also Pac-12 Player of the Week on Dec. 4, is on the watch lists for the James Naismith, John Wooden and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year awards, as well as the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year honor.
• Since the Conference's Player of the Week award debuted in 1983-84, Ayton is now only the eighth freshman to earn multiple honors (Lonzo Ball, UCLA 2016-17; TJ Leaf, UCLA 2016-17; Lauri Markkanen, ARIZ 2016-17; Stanley Johnson, ARIZ 2014-15; Kevin Love, UCLA 2007-08; Shareef Abdur-Rahim, CAL 1995-96; Harold Miner, USC 1989-90).
• In Arizona's lone outing of the week, Ayton recorded his 10th double-double of the season with 23 points (9-14 FG, 5-7 FT) and 19 rebounds along with three assists and three blocks to help the Wildcats knock off No. 3 Arizona State, 84-78, on Saturday. Ayton's 19 rebounds were the most for an Arizona player since Bob Elliott grabbed 19 in a game during the 1973-74 season.
• Ayton is the NCAA's leading freshman rebounder (11.9 rpg) and tied for fourth nationally with 10 double-doubles through 14 games. That double-double total is currently on pace to break Love's Conference freshman record of 23 set in 2008 (six through 14 games), while his 11.9 rebounds per game are ahead of Love's league rookie mark of 10.6.
• Arizona (11-3, 1-0), which has won eight consecutive games and climbed to No. 14 in the latest AP Top 25, will travel to fellow league unbeaten UTAH (10-3, 2-0) on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN.
ALSO NOMINATED: Justice Sueing, CALIFORNIA; Troy Brown, OREGON; Tres Tinkle, OREGON STATE; Aaron Holiday, UCLA; Bennie Boatwright, USC; Justin Bibbins, UTAH; Carter Skaggs, WASHINGTON STATE.
2017-18 PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK