Kalkbrenner Earns National Player of the Week Honors From Five Outlets
11/12/2024 2:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Senior center averaged 36.5 PPG and shot 90.6 percent from the field.
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton Basketball's Ryan Kalkbrenner has picked up five National Player of the Week accolades in the last 36 hours following a dominating open to his senior season.
The Florissant, Mo., product was recognized by the Associated Press, NCAA.com's Andy Katz, ESPN's Dick Vitale, the Lute Olson Award and the United States Basketball Writers Association following a sensational week.
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 1970 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.
Earlier on Monday, Kalkbrenner was named BIG EAST Player of the Week.
Creighton (2-0) returns to action on Wednesday at 8 p.m. when it hosts Houston Christian.
The Florissant, Mo., product was recognized by the Associated Press, NCAA.com's Andy Katz, ESPN's Dick Vitale, the Lute Olson Award and the United States Basketball Writers Association following a sensational week.
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.
Â
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 1970 to score 24 points or more in each of CU's first two games of the season.
Â
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.
Earlier on Monday, Kalkbrenner was named BIG EAST Player of the Week.
Creighton (2-0) returns to action on Wednesday at 8 p.m. when it hosts Houston Christian.
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