The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOR the second time in what is becoming an illustrious career for the Oklahoma Sooners, junior guard Buddy Hield was named the “Player of the Week” in the Big 12 conference.

Last week, Hield was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week for his performances against West Virginia and Oklahoma State in the latest edition of the Bedlam rivalry.

Hield, who was also named Big 12 Player of the Week on November 17, has scored at least 20 points in four of five Big 12 outings and led the team with 13 points in the other contest.

In conference play his scoring output has increased and he has led the Sooners in four of their last five games.

Since Big 12 play began he currently leads the league with his 22.4 points and 3.4 3-pointers a game, ranks second in 3-point field goal percentage (.486), third in field goal percentage (.552), sixth in free throw percentage (.840) and seventh in rebounding (7.0 rpg, first among guards.

Against West Virginia, Hield scored a game high 21 points to go along with eight rebounds in an 85-65 loss on the road. His second game of the week was a record-setting performance.

If not for two misses at the free throw line, it would have been a perfect game for high scoring junior guard Buddy Hield.

Hield scored 27 points to lead the No.18 Oklahoma Sooners to an 82-65 win over the No.24 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys. He shot an incredible 10-10 from the field, including 4-4 from beyond three-point range. His hot shooting from the field tied a Big 12 record in conference play. He also added five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Sooners head coach Lon Kruger praised Hield’s effort. “Yeah, he’s fantastic. He made shots early when we needed him and he made shots late when maybe they were thinking about making a run. I thought he hit a couple of big shots at those moments,” Kruger said. “His defensive awareness was outstanding. A lot of guys played well but I thought Buddy was fantastic.”

He followed those two games with 26 points, five rebounds and two assists in an 85-78 road loss to the No.11 ranked Kansas Jayhawks.

Despite his recent success, the Sooners have dropped consecutive games in the Big 12 and have lost four out of their last five, four of which came against ranked opponents.

On Saturday afternoon, Hield scored 12 points but shot 0-7 from three-point range in the Sooners 69-58 loss to No. 21 Baylor University. He also added three rebounds and three assists.

The Sooners look to correct their recent conference struggles when they host the Texas Tech Red Raiders 7:30pm January 28 (Wednesday), broadcast live on ESPNews.

Hield was recently recognised as one of the top players in all of NCAA Division I basketball when the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced its John R Wooden Award Midseason Top 25.

The 6-4, 212-pound Hield is averaging 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, shooting 44 per cent from the field and 40 per cent from three-point range.