11/11/2024 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Bluejay center averaged 36.5 points per game in two wins last week
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner has been named the first BIG EAST Player of the Week of the 2024-25 season, the conference announced on Monday.
The 7-foot-1 center averaged 36.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots per game as No. 15 Creighton posted a pair of double-digit victories to open the season. The three-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year shot 90.6 percent from the field (29-32), including 100 percent from three-point range (3-3), and also made 92.3 percent (12-13) of his free throw attempts.
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Kalkbrenner opened his week with 49 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in a win vs. UTRGV. He made 20-of-22 shots, becoming the first player in more than 50 years to shoot 90 percent or better on more than 20 field goal attempts. His 49 points were 18 more than his previous career-best, two shy of the CU single-game record, an arena record for a Creighton player, and the most points in BIG EAST history in any double-double.
He finished his week with 24 points, six rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes of a 96-70 win vs. FDU, making 9-of-10 shots from the floor and his lone three-point attempt before checking out with 14:56 left. In the process, he became CU's first player since at least 1980-81 to score 24 points or more in each of CU's first two games of the season.
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The National Player of the Year candidate one of two players since 2005-06 to shoot 90 percent from the floor in consecutive games with 10 or more field goal attempts, and is now a perfect 14-for-14 from the field after halftime this season.
This is the first weekly honor from the BIG EAST of Kalkbrenner's career, though he's certainly no stranger to hardware. Kalkbrenner is one of three men to earn at least three BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was named First Team All-BIG EAST in 2022-23, Second Team All-BIG EAST in 2023-24 and Honorable Mention All-BIG EAST in 2021-22. Prior to this season, Kalkbrenner was named the league's Preseason Player of the Year. He is also a four-time member of the BIG EAST's All-Academic Team.
Creighton (2-0) returns to action on Wednesday at 8 p.m. when it hosts Houston Christian.
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The 7-foot-1 center averaged 36.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots per game as No. 15 Creighton posted a pair of double-digit victories to open the season. The three-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year shot 90.6 percent from the field (29-32), including 100 percent from three-point range (3-3), and also made 92.3 percent (12-13) of his free throw attempts.
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Kalkbrenner opened his week with 49 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in a win vs. UTRGV. He made 20-of-22 shots, becoming the first player in more than 50 years to shoot 90 percent or better on more than 20 field goal attempts. His 49 points were 18 more than his previous career-best, two shy of the CU single-game record, an arena record for a Creighton player, and the most points in BIG EAST history in any double-double.
He finished his week with 24 points, six rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes of a 96-70 win vs. FDU, making 9-of-10 shots from the floor and his lone three-point attempt before checking out with 14:56 left. In the process, he became CU's first player since at least 1980-81 to score 24 points or more in each of CU's first two games of the season.
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The National Player of the Year candidate one of two players since 2005-06 to shoot 90 percent from the floor in consecutive games with 10 or more field goal attempts, and is now a perfect 14-for-14 from the field after halftime this season.
This is the first weekly honor from the BIG EAST of Kalkbrenner's career, though he's certainly no stranger to hardware. Kalkbrenner is one of three men to earn at least three BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was named First Team All-BIG EAST in 2022-23, Second Team All-BIG EAST in 2023-24 and Honorable Mention All-BIG EAST in 2021-22. Prior to this season, Kalkbrenner was named the league's Preseason Player of the Year. He is also a four-time member of the BIG EAST's All-Academic Team.
Creighton (2-0) returns to action on Wednesday at 8 p.m. when it hosts Houston Christian.
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Players Mentioned
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