Walker named Big 12 Rookie of the Week

MANHATTAN, Kan. Freshman forward Bill Walker earned Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors on Monday after averaging 22.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in games against Notre Dame and California last week.

Walker is the second Kansas State player to earn Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors this season after fellow freshman Michael Beasley was honored on Nov. 19. He is the 11th overall player in school history to earn the accolade since the inception of the league.

For the week, Walker averaged 22.0 points on 39.4 percent shooting (13-of-33), including 33.3 percent (2-of-6), with 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 1.0 assist and 1.0 block in 34.0 minutes per game. He also connected on an impressive 88.9 percent (16-of-18) from the free throw line.

Walker played arguably his best game as a Wildcat in the team’s 82-75 win over previously unbeaten California on Sunday, as he set or tied career-highs in nine categories. He posted a career-high 30 points on 7-of-22 field goals, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, with a career-tying 10 rebounds, a career-high four steals and two assists in 35 minutes of action. Walker also set career-highs for field goals (7), field goal attempts (22), 3-point field goals (2), 3-point field goal attempts (5), free throws (14) and free throw attempts (16). It was just his second career double-double and his first since the Rider game on Nov. 25 at the Old Spice Classic.

The performance followed a solid outing against Notre Dame on Dec. 4, as he tallied 14 points against the Fighting Irish on 6-of-11 field goals with six rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 33 minutes. He scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half on 5-of-8 shooting in playing all 20 minutes.

The former high school All-American is finally healthy after playing in just six games as a true freshman in 2006-07 before going down with a season-ending ACL injury against Texas A&M in the first Big 12 contest. He paces the squad in steals (2.0 spg.) and free throw percentage (76.2) and is second to Beasley in scoring (14.0 ppg.) and rebounding (6.7 rpg.). He has now scored in double figures in 10 of his 13 career games, including six of seven games this season.

The Wildcats (6-3) will take a break this week from competition for semester exams before returning to action against Florida A&M (2-6) on Monday, Dec. 17 in the K-State Holiday Classic presented by Subway at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT.

Kansas State University Athletics

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