Bezhanishvili, Dosunmu Sweep Big Ten Weekly Honors
Champaign, ILL.–Fighting Illini freshman Giorgi Bezhanishvili (Rustavi, Georgia) was named Big Ten Player of the Week and fellow freshman Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago, Ill.) was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.
The freshman duo helped the Illini to a pair of wins last week, 79-74 over No. 9 Michigan State on Tuesday and 99-94 over Rutgers in overtime on Saturday. Overall, Illinois has won three straight games, its longest conference winning streak since 2017 and tied for the second-longest active streak in the league. The Illini are also 4-1 in their last five games.
It marks the first time in Big Ten men's basketball history a school claimed both awards with two different freshmen. It's also the first time Illinois has swept both player and freshman accolades in the same week since the conference started the freshman award in 2010-11.
The last Illini to win B1G Player of the Week was Malcolm Hill on Nov. 24, 2016, while the last Illini B1G Freshman of the week was Trent Frazier on Feb. 12, 2018. Frazier was Freshman of the Week on two occasions last season.
Giorgi Bezhanishvili | Big Ten Player of the Week
» Bezhanishvili had a stellar week and one of the best single-game performances in Big Ten history to lead the Illini to a pair of victories, including its highest-ranked win in the last six years.
» Averaged 25.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while dominating the paint to the tune of 69 percent accuracy (20-29 FG). He also showed an improved stroke at the free throw line, converting 79 percent (11-14 FT) for the week.
» In Saturday's win over Rutgers, Bezhanishvili broke the all-time Illini freshman single-game scoring record with 35 points. He hit 14-of-18 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws to break the previous Illini freshman record of 34 points set by Deon Thomas, a mark that stood for nearly 29 years (Dec. 3, 1990), with Thomas watching from courtside while calling the game on the Fighting Illini Radio Network.
» It was the third-highest scoring performance by a Big Ten player this season and the most by an Illini since Malcolm Hill scored 40 on Nov. 13, 2016.
» 29 of his points came during the second half and overtime. He hit 12-of-13 field goals and 5-of-5 free throws after intermission.
» His 14 field goals made were the most by an Illini player in the last 27 seasons (Deon Thomas, 16, Dec. 30, 1991).
» He scored 15 straight for the Illini during a 7-minute stretch from 9:39 to 2:36 left in regulation, and had a personal 4-0 run in overtime to put the Illini ahead for good.
» He is one of only two players in the nation this season and the only one from the six major conferences to score at least 35 points without attempting a 3-pointer.
» Bezhanishvili began the week by helping lead the Illini to a thrilling victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Tuesday. He was the Illini's second-leading scorer against the Spartans with 16 points and grabbed a team-high 5 boards.
» Bezhanishvili is averaging 19.0 points in home Big Ten games and has scored 20+ points four times on the season, all against Power-5 opponents (at Notre Dame, vs. Minnesota, vs. Wisconsin, vs. Rutgers).
Ayo Dosunmu | Big Ten Freshman of the Week
» Dosunmu averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals on the week in the two Illini wins.
» In the victory over No. 9 Michigan State, Dosunmu erupted for a game-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 4-of-8 from three and 4-of-4 from the FT line while also adding 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots. The 4 threes and 3 steals both tied career highs, while his 24 points was one shy of his career best.
» Dosunmu stepped up with the game on the line. Tied at 68 with three minutes to play, he connected on back-to-back treys at the 2:32 and 1:54 marks, giving the Illini the lead for good and leading to a court-storming celebration at State Farm Center.
» It was his seventh 20-point game of the season, ranking second on the Illini all-time list for freshman, now just one away from the record. Five of those 20+ point outings have been since Big Ten play resumed on Jan. 2, with four coming against ranked league foes.
» In Saturday's win against Rutgers, Dosunmu battled foul trouble but still impacted the game with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and a game-high 6 assists.
» His fifth assist against the Scarlet Knights was a highlight play, zipping a cross-court pass to Aaron Jordan for an open trey to break a tie with under two minutes left. He later found Trent Frazier on an out of bounds play to assist on a three that give the Illini its first lead of OT.
» Dosunmu is currently averaging 15.2 points in conference play, the second-highest average ever by an Illini true freshman.
Champaign, ILL.–Fighting Illini freshman Giorgi Bezhanishvili (Rustavi, Georgia) was named Big Ten Player of the Week and fellow freshman Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago, Ill.) was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.
The freshman duo helped the Illini to a pair of wins last week, 79-74 over No. 9 Michigan State on Tuesday and 99-94 over Rutgers in overtime on Saturday. Overall, Illinois has won three straight games, its longest conference winning streak since 2017 and tied for the second-longest active streak in the league. The Illini are also 4-1 in their last five games.
It marks the first time in Big Ten men's basketball history a school claimed both awards with two different freshmen. It's also the first time Illinois has swept both player and freshman accolades in the same week since the conference started the freshman award in 2010-11.
The last Illini to win B1G Player of the Week was Malcolm Hill on Nov. 24, 2016, while the last Illini B1G Freshman of the week was Trent Frazier on Feb. 12, 2018. Frazier was Freshman of the Week on two occasions last season.
Giorgi Bezhanishvili | Big Ten Player of the Week
» Bezhanishvili had a stellar week and one of the best single-game performances in Big Ten history to lead the Illini to a pair of victories, including its highest-ranked win in the last six years.
» Averaged 25.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while dominating the paint to the tune of 69 percent accuracy (20-29 FG). He also showed an improved stroke at the free throw line, converting 79 percent (11-14 FT) for the week.
» In Saturday's win over Rutgers, Bezhanishvili broke the all-time Illini freshman single-game scoring record with 35 points. He hit 14-of-18 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws to break the previous Illini freshman record of 34 points set by Deon Thomas, a mark that stood for nearly 29 years (Dec. 3, 1990), with Thomas watching from courtside while calling the game on the Fighting Illini Radio Network.
» It was the third-highest scoring performance by a Big Ten player this season and the most by an Illini since Malcolm Hill scored 40 on Nov. 13, 2016.
» 29 of his points came during the second half and overtime. He hit 12-of-13 field goals and 5-of-5 free throws after intermission.
» His 14 field goals made were the most by an Illini player in the last 27 seasons (Deon Thomas, 16, Dec. 30, 1991).
» He scored 15 straight for the Illini during a 7-minute stretch from 9:39 to 2:36 left in regulation, and had a personal 4-0 run in overtime to put the Illini ahead for good.
» He is one of only two players in the nation this season and the only one from the six major conferences to score at least 35 points without attempting a 3-pointer.
» Bezhanishvili began the week by helping lead the Illini to a thrilling victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Tuesday. He was the Illini's second-leading scorer against the Spartans with 16 points and grabbed a team-high 5 boards.
» Bezhanishvili is averaging 19.0 points in home Big Ten games and has scored 20+ points four times on the season, all against Power-5 opponents (at Notre Dame, vs. Minnesota, vs. Wisconsin, vs. Rutgers).
Ayo Dosunmu | Big Ten Freshman of the Week
» Dosunmu averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals on the week in the two Illini wins.
» In the victory over No. 9 Michigan State, Dosunmu erupted for a game-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 4-of-8 from three and 4-of-4 from the FT line while also adding 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots. The 4 threes and 3 steals both tied career highs, while his 24 points was one shy of his career best.
» Dosunmu stepped up with the game on the line. Tied at 68 with three minutes to play, he connected on back-to-back treys at the 2:32 and 1:54 marks, giving the Illini the lead for good and leading to a court-storming celebration at State Farm Center.
» It was his seventh 20-point game of the season, ranking second on the Illini all-time list for freshman, now just one away from the record. Five of those 20+ point outings have been since Big Ten play resumed on Jan. 2, with four coming against ranked league foes.
» In Saturday's win against Rutgers, Dosunmu battled foul trouble but still impacted the game with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and a game-high 6 assists.
» His fifth assist against the Scarlet Knights was a highlight play, zipping a cross-court pass to Aaron Jordan for an open trey to break a tie with under two minutes left. He later found Trent Frazier on an out of bounds play to assist on a three that give the Illini its first lead of OT.
» Dosunmu is currently averaging 15.2 points in conference play, the second-highest average ever by an Illini true freshman.
