Baylor Basketball's Wright Tabbed as Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
WACO, Texas – For the second-straight week, a Baylor freshman has claimed Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Honors as the league announced Robert Wright as this week's recipient on Monday afternoon.
The Wilmington, Del., native joined VJ Edgecombe, who picked up the award last week and Norchad Omier, who was the Big 12’s Player of the Week back in November. Monday marks the first time BU has won Newcomer of the Week in back-to-back weeks and the first time since January 2022 that a Bear has won a weekly honor in consecutive weeks.
The freshman played well beyond his years, averaging 23 points per game in two contests when his team needed him most. As Baylor continues to battle through injuries, Wright put the team on his back, giving the Bears a chance to win both games last week. Wright took charge, down four with 5:15 remaining in the game against BYU, netting every one of Baylor's points in the final 5:14 outscoring the Cougars 14-10 down the stretch to get the game to overtime.
In the extra session, the frosh scored four more points to record 18 of Baylor's final 25 points in the overtime loss despite playing a season-high 38 minutes due to a shortened rotation.
Against the Kansas Jayhawks, Wright took things to another level, scoring 20 of his 24 points in the second half, helping erase the Jayhawks' 19-point halftime lead before the 13-minute mark.
After the loss of fellow freshman phenom V.J. Edgecombe, at the 14:38 mark of the second half, Wright scored or assisted on 18 of Baylor's points. He helped Baylor become just the third team in Big 12 history to erase a 19-point halftime deficit. BU is also the only team over the last 15 seasons to beat a ranked opponent by double-digits after trailing by 20+ points.
Wright put his clutch gene on full display last week, helping Baylor erase halftime deficits of eight and 19 by averaging 17.0 points and four assists in the second half of both games at BYU and vs. Kansas. Part of his late-game brilliance was his success at the charity stripe, upping his streak of 22 straight made free throws with a 14-for-14 week at the line.
Wright and the Bears head west for a Tuesday night showdown against another ranked opponent in Texas Tech at United Supermarkets Arena. Rich Hollenberg and King McClure will have the call on ESPN2.