Karl Towns – photo by Walter Cornett
After a brief one-week hiatus, Kentucky recaptured the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week award this week as Karl-Anthony Towns garnered SEC honors for the third time this season.
Towns played an integral part in helping Kentucky tie the best record in school history (25-0) by averaging 10.5 points, a team-high-tying 8.5 rebounds and a team-high 2.5 blocks last week in UK’s victories over LSU and South Carolina.
In the come-from-behind win at a sold-out LSU, Towns recorded his fourth double-double (12 points and a team-high 13 rebounds) in addition to a team-high four blocks, two steals and two assists.
As if his numbers weren’t enough, Towns played an extremely important part down the stretch. With UK trailing 66-60, Towns snapped LSU’s 16-0 run with a step-back jumper from just inside the 3-point line after LSU had taken a 66-60 lead. The Cats took the lead for good when Towns kept an offensive possession alive with an offensive rebound and then scored with 1:30 left to take a 70-69 lead.
Against South Carolina, Towns scored the first six points of the game to help Kentucky take an early lead that it would never look back from.
The 6-foot-11 forward leads UK in blocked shots (58) and is tied for the team high in rebounds per game (6.4). Over the last five games, Towns is leading Kentucky in scoring (13.4 points per game), rebounding (7.8) and blocked shots (nine).
Towns and the Wildcats have now hauled in 10 SEC Freshman of the Week accolades. Devin Booker has won the award a league-high five times – including four straight from Jan. 12 to Feb. 2 – Towns has earned the honor three times, and teammates Trey Lyles and Tyler Ulis have each garnered the award once this season.
UK returns to action Tuesday at Tennessee. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET tip on ESPN.
