News

Illini’s Keaton Wagler chosen AP men’s college basketball player of the week after win over Purdue

The freshman guard from Shawnee, Kansas, set an Illini record with nine 3-pointers while scoring 46 points in an 88-82 win at then-No. 4 Purdue last week. Photo: Contributed


(AP) – The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s college basketball for Week 12 of the season:

Keaton Wagler, No. 9 Illinois

The freshman guard from Shawnee, Kansas, set an Illini record with nine 3-pointers while scoring 46 points in an 88-82 win at then-No. 4 Purdue last week. Wagler finished 13 of 17 from the floor, hit several big buckets in the closing seconds, and wound up with the most points ever scored in a road win over a top-10 opponent in the AP poll era.

Wagler has hit double-figures in 12 consecutive games, including a 13-point, eight-assist, seven-rebound performance in an 89-70 blowout of Maryland earlier in the week. The two victories helped the Illini to push their winning streak to nine games and climb two spots to No. 9 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.

Runner-up

Joshua Jefferson, No. 8 Iowa State. The All-Big 12 forward had his second triple-double of the season with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists — and four steals — in an 87-57 win over UCF. He also had 20 points and four boards in an 84-71 win over Oklahoma State.

Honorable mention

Kingston Flemings, No. 10 Houston; A.J. Dybantsa, No. 13 BYU; Jeremy Fears Jr., No. 7 Michigan State.

Keep an eye on

Kamrin Oriol, G, North Florida. The senior had back-to-back 30-plus scoring games last week, pouring in 32 in an 87-85 victory over Eastern Kentucky, then scoring 33 with 15 assists in a 117-114 overtime win over Bellarmine. Making the performances even more eye-popping: North Florida (5-16) had won only 3 of its first 19 games before the back-to-back victories.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Recent Headlines

5 hours ago in Entertainment

Chanel couture gets a breath of fresh air — and a star-studded audience

Fashion powerhouse Chanel stacked the Paris front row like a movie premiere Tuesday: Nicole Kidman, Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, A$AP Rocky, Gracie Abrams, Margaret Qualley.

5 hours ago in Entertainment

Ralph Fiennes, star of stage and screen, makes opera debut in Paris directing `Eugene Onegin’

Ralph Fiennes ' vision of "Eugene Onegin" was cinematic. A three-time Academy Award nominee and a Tony Award winner, Fiennes made his opera directing debut Monday at the Paris Opera's ornate Palais Garnier.

8 hours ago in Entertainment, Local

Active and Creative Teen Theatre hosts ‘The Outsiders’ this weekend

Play poster for ACTT - The Outsiders

The Outsiders, originally a book by S.E. Hinton, will be the play performed this weekend at the Peggy Ryder Theatre, hosted by the ACTT.

12 hours ago in Trending, World

World pauses to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Holocaust survivors, politicians and regular people commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tuesday, gathering at events held across Europe to reflect on Nazi Germany's murder of millions of people and its attempt to annihilate European Jewry.

12 hours ago in Entertainment

‘One Battle After Another’ leads the pack in nominations for UK’s BAFTA film awards

Paul Thomas Anderson's politically charged action thriller "One Battle After Another" leads the race for the British Academy Film Awards, securing 14 nominations Tuesday including acting nods for five of its cast.