Owen Freeman named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for 9th time
The Big Ten will be handing out their season awards in a few weeks, but if the weekly awards are any indication, Owen Freeman should be close to a lock to be named the top first year player in the conference.
On Monday, to the surprise of virtually no one, Freeman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. This makes back to back weeks that he has won the award and the ninth time overall. The nine honors are the second most in Big Ten history, trailing only Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, who had 12 accolades during the 2010-11 season.
The Moline, Illinois, native earned the distinction after averaging 12.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, three assists and one steal in games against Maryland and Wisconsin. He shot 67 percent from the field, making 8-of-12 field goal attempts, and went 9-for-13 from the free throw line.
Freeman opened the week with a five-point, eight-rebound outing at Maryland before having one of the best games of his career in Iowa’s 88-86 overtime win over No. 20 Wisconsin. It was the Hawkeyes’ first win over a ranked opponent this season and first Quad 1 win.
He recorded his fifth double-double, finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four blocks against the Badgers. Freeman went 6-for-6 from the field and 8-for-11 from the free throw line.
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The 20-12-6-4 game is the only such game in the nation this season and one of eight since 2010-11. His five double-doubles are the most by a freshman in the Big Ten, tied for the third most by a freshman nationally and the most by a Hawkeye freshman since Melsahn Basabe (6) in 2010-11.
With five games remaining in the regular season, Freeman continues to be the best freshman in the Big Ten Conference. He leads the league in points (286), rebounds (171), blocks (48) and steals (28), while having the second-best field goal percentage (.644). The 48 blocks are the second-most by a freshman in the nation.
The honor is Iowa’s 10th Big Ten weekly accolade this season. Freeman previously earned the distinction on Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Dec. 4, Dec. 18, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 29 and Feb. 12, while graduate Ben Krikke was the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 20.
