Bracey Wright Named BT POW
2/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
February 28, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana junior guard Bracey Wright was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time this season and the sixth time of his career it was announced
by the Conference on Monday.
Wright averaged 29.5 points during a 2-0 week, which included
a 78-74 upset victory over No. 9/10 Michigan State on Feb. 27.
Against the Spartans, Wright played 42 minutes and accounted for 32 points, going 9-of-14 from the floor and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw stripe. The 32 points marked a season-high and was the second-best output in his career (39 vs. North Texas on Dec. 29, 2003). Against Purdue on Feb. 22, Wright accounted for a game-high 27 points and a team-best seven rebounds in the Hoosiers' 79-62 win.
For the week, The Colony, Texas, native averaged 29.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He also shot a blistering .523 (18-of-32) from the floor and .625 (10-of-16) from behind the arc, while hitting a perfect 13-of-13 from the free throw line. He has now hit 14 consecutive free throws dating back to the Feb. 20 Michigan game. This is his best consecutive free throw streak since he made 22 straight as a freshman (2002-03).
In addition, he has 10 games this season where he has scored 20 or more points, seven of which he accounted for 25 or more. For his career, he has accumulated 32 games scoring 20 or more points and 16 times accounting for 25 or more.
Wright's six career honors are the most of any active player in the league, and he is one of seven individuals in league history to win the honor at least six times - Jim Jackson (Ohio State, 1990-92), Glen Robinson (Purdue, 1993-94), Steve Alford (Indiana, 1984-86), Steve Smith (Michigan State, 1988-91), Calbert Cheaney (Indiana, 1990-93) and Brad Miller (Purdue, 1995-98) are the others.
Wright leads the Hoosiers on the season with 19.0 points per game, a number that also leads the Big Ten, and is second on the team with 4.8 rebounds, 57 assists and 25 steals despite missing the three games due to an ankle injury.