Here's guessing this won't be the last time that I write this headline this season. Fresh off a pair of absolutely dominating performances last week, Iowa's super sophomore, Keegan Murray, was named Big Ten Player of the Week. (Technically, he's he Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, sharing the honor with Purdue's Trevion Williams, but hey.)
Weekly Awards Alert
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 22, 2021
Keegan Murray of @IowaHoops is the #B1G Player of the Week!
Averaged 26.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 blocks per game in a pair of Iowa victories
https://t.co/8c10c9qS65 pic.twitter.com/IVSvvDisnm
The competition that Murray faced last week (North Carolina Central and Alabama State was pretty obviously, uh, not great, but that doesn't change the fact that Murray went supernova not once but twice for Iowa.
NCC: 27 pts (47% FG), 21 reb, 2 ast, 4 blk
ASU: 26 pts (63% FG, 40% 3FG%), 6 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk
avg: 26.5 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 3 apg, 2.5 bpg
Those are absolutely silly numbers, but they are in line with what Murray has been doing all year so far:
25.5 ppg (60% FG, 38% 3FG, 92% FT), 9.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.8 bpg, 1.0 spg
Obvious caveat is obvious caveat: Keegan Murray (and Iowa men's basketball) AIN'T PLAYED NO ONE, PAAAAWWWWLLLL. And, yes, that's true. The level of competition so far has been... poor. But you can only play the teams on the schedule and against those teams, Keegan Murray has been absolutely unstoppable. Better competition will come (within the next few weeks, no less), so we'll soon get a much better sense of just how much Keegan Murray has leveled up this season.
For now, though, we can just sit back and enjoy watching Keegan Murray dominate some hapless fools game in and game out.
.@IowaHoops' @keegan3murray earned - after averaging 26.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 blocks in a pair of convincing victories last week. pic.twitter.com/XlKWbwBOh7
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) November 22, 2021
He's a monster in transition, a menace in the paint, and an elite garbageman when it comes to cleaning up rebounds and getting put-backs and tip-ins. But he's also an ace free throw shooter and a very solid three-point shooter, too. Oh, and on the defensive end, his springy legs and impressive wingspan make him a very dangerous shotblocker, as well as a threat in passing lanes. Keegan Murray is not a one-tricky pony and his set of skills looks more and more impressive with each passing game.
Congratulations on being named Big Ten Player of the Week, Keegan -- based on your form so far, this probably won't be the only time you get that honor.
GO KEEGAN AWESOME
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