Giorgi Bezhanishvili earns Player of the Week honor and Ayo Dosunmu claims Freshman of the Week
Player of the Week
Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Illinois
F – Fr. – 6-9 – Rustavi, Georgia – The Patrick School (N.J.) – Division of General Studies
Averaged 25.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 69.0 percent from the floor in helping the Illini to a 2-0 week, defeating No. 9 Michigan State and Rutgers
Broke Illinois’ 29-year old freshman scoring record (previously held by Deon Thomas with 34 on Dec. 3, 1990) with a career-high 35 points in the Illini’s overtime victory against Rutgers
His 35 points were the most by an Illinois player in a single game since Malcom Hill scored 40 points on Nov. 13, 2016
Connected on 14-of-18 from the floor against the Scarlet Knights for the most made field goals in a game by an Illini player since Thomas made 16 field goals in a game in 1991
Scored 29 of his 35 points in the second half and overtime, including a stretch of 13 consecutive points late in the second half against Rutgers
In Illinois’ victory over No. 9 Michigan State, posted 16 points and a team-high five rebounds
Earns the first Big Ten Player of the Week honor of his career
Last Illinois Player of the Week: Malcolm Hill (Nov. 14, 2016)
Freshman of the Week
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
G – 6-5 – Chicago, Ill. – Morgan Park High School – Division of General Studies
Averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in a pair of Illinois victories
Erupted for a game-high 24 points in lifting the Illini to a win over No. 9 Michigan State
Connected on 8-of-14 from the floor including 4-of-8 from 3-point range in the victory over the Spartans
His back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minutes gave Illinois the lead for good and secured the victory, which was the Illini’s first over a Top 10 team since 2013
Contributed 12 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals in Illinois’ victory over Rutgers
Earns his first Freshman of the Week honor
Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Trent Frazier (Feb. 12, 2018)
Illinois swept Big Ten men’s basketball weekly honors for the first time in school history
For the first time in Big Ten men’s basketball history, a school claimed both awards with two different freshmen.