Nebraska, Illinois, Rutgers Earn Men’s Basketball Weekly Accolades

Nebraska, Illinois, Rutgers Earn Men’s Basketball Weekly Accolades

Huskers’ Williams, Illini’s Jakucionis, Scarlet Knights’ Harper score Big Ten weekly honors

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Men’s Basketball Players of the Week for the week of December 9-15, 2024.

Player of the Week
Brice Williams, Nebraska

G – Sr. – 6-7 – Huntersville, N.C. – Hopewell

•       Set season highs in points (30), field goals (10) and rebounds (six) along with a team-high five assists in Nebraska’s 85-68 win over Indiana, becoming the only the second Husker in the Big Ten era (2011-12 to present) to have a game with at least 30 points and five assists
•       Scored nine of his 30 points in the final 6:30 after Indiana closed to within 68-67
•       Marked Williams’ career-high at Nebraska and the first time a Husker scored 30-or-more points against Indiana
•       Claims first Player of the Week honor
•       Last Nebraska Player of the Week: Alonzo Verge Jr. (March 7, 2022)

Co-Freshmen of the Week

Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
G – 6-6 – Vilnius, Lithuania – Barcelona FC

•       Averaged 23.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists against a pair of top-20 teams.
•       Led the Illini to an 86-80 victory over No. 20 Wisconsin, scoring a career- and game-high 24 points.
•       Scored a team-high 22 points in a 66-64 loss to No. 1 Tennessee
•       Earns his first Freshman of the Week award
•       Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Will Reilly (Nov. 11, 2024)

Dylan Harper, Illinois
G – 6-6 – Franklin Lakes, N.J. – Don Bosco Prep

•       Averaged 24 points. 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists as the Scarlet Knights scored a pair of wins
•       Posted his first career double-double with 24 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in an 80-76 win over Penn State
•       Added 24 points, including the game-winning three pointer at the buzzer, to top Seton Hall 66-63
•       Earns his third Freshman of the Week award
•       Last Rutgers Freshman of the Week: Dylan Harper (Dec. 2, 2024)

2024-25 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Players of the Week

Dec. 16

P: Brice Williams, NEB

F: Kasparas Jakucionis, ILL

F: Dylan Harper, RUT

Dec.9
P: Vladislav Goldin, MICH
F: Derik Queen, MD

Dec. 2

P: Trey Kaufman-Renn, PUR

F: Dylan Harper, RUT

Nov. 25

P: John Tonje, WIS

F: Derik Queen, MD

Nov. 18

P: John Tonje, WIS

F: Dylan Harper, RUT

Nov. 11

P: Nick Martinelli, NU

F: Will Riley, ILL

The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The Big Ten Conference sponsors 28 official sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, and the broad-based programs of the 18 Big Ten institutions provide direct financial support for more than 14,000 student-athletes.