WACO, Texas – Baylor freshman guard Keyonte George picked up Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week honors, announced by the league office on Monday.
The Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year averaged 18.5 points per game last week, while playing without the services of BU’s third-leading scorer, L.J. Cryer. George’s week was highlighted by 21 points to lead the No. 12 Bears past upset-minded Nicholls in Baylor’s first game after the Christmas break.
His 21 points went along with six rebounds, 4 assists and a career-high seven made free throws. The performance against the Colonels marked the seventh time George led the team in scoring this season, and was the sixth time he notched 13+ points, 5+ rebounds and 4+ assists.
Shouldering more of a scoring load in the conference opener at Iowa State, George went for 16 points and three rebounds. After being held to just one point in the first half, George found his stroke in the second half, pouring in 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including a pair of threes, in a team-leading 18 minutes.
George ranks eighth in the conference in scoring (15.6 ppg), 12th in field goal percentage (.378) and sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.337), while pulling down the fifth-most rebounds per game (4.3) among Big 12 guards.
This marks the second-straight season that a BU freshman has won multiple newcomer of the week awards. Kendall Brown was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 20, 2021 and March 7, 2022 last season.
George and the Bears will return to action on Wednesday night in the Big 12 home opener against the TCU Horned Frogs in Baylor’s ‘Go Gold’ game at 8 p.m. Wednesday’s game will mark the first-ever meeting between BU and TCU where both teams are ranked in the Top 25. Rich Hollenberg and Fran Fraschilla will have the call on ESPN2.
