Big 12 Award Winners: Denis Clemente

Press Release — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:56:08 -0500

IRVING, Texas - Denis Clemente (Kansas State) and Willie Warren (Oklahoma) have been selected as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player and Rookie of the Week for Jan. 26 - 31 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. It is the first weekly honor for Clemente and the fifth for Warren.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Denis Clemente, Kansas State, G, Jr., 6-1, 175, Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Calusa Prep/Miami (Fla.)

Clemente led Kansas State to a pair of wins last week, as the Wildcats recorded victories over Missouri (88-72) and at Texas (85-81, OT). The junior guard averaged 27.0 points and 5.0 assists, shooting 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the field. He connected on 7-of-9 (.778) from 3-point range and was perfect (13-of-13) from the free throw line. His top performance of the week came at Texas, as he tied the Big 12 single-game scoring record (Michael Beasley, KSU) with 44 points. In the contest, Clemente also tied the conference mark for 3-point shooting percentage by making 6-of-6 from beyond the arc. The 44 points were the most ever scored by a player at the Erwin Center and the highest total by a K-State guard in any game since 1994. Clemente has scored in double figures in six of seven Big 12 contests this season.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Willie Warren, Oklahoma, G, Fr., 6-4, 207, Fort Worth, Texas/North Crowley

Warren helped the Sooners improve their Big 12 record to 7-0 with road wins at Oklahoma State (89-81) and Iowa State (78-68). The freshman guard averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists, shooting 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from the floor. He also made 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Warren had 29 points at ISU, his third-best scoring output of the year, while his six rebounds represented a career-high. He has 17 double-digit scoring games in 2008-09 and is also averaging 19.9 points in road games. Warren's five rookie accolades this season ties for the third-most in Big 12 history (Clifton Clark, TAMU, 1998-99).

willie warren

Big 12 Award Winners: Denis Clemente