Kris Murray Earns Conference, National Recognition

Hawkeye Junior Co-B1G, ESPN Player of Week

Iowa's Kris Murray tries dribbling around Georgia Tech's Miles Kelly on Nov. 29, 2022 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - University of Iowa men’s basketball junior forward Kris Murray has been named the ESPN Men’s Basketball National Player of the Week and Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Monday. Murray shares the conference honor with Purdue’s Zach Edey.

Murray (6-foot-8, 220 pounds) powered the Hawkeyes to a convincing 85-61 win over Georgia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge last Tuesday. He exploded for 31 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, four 3-pointers, and two blocked shots.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native is the first Hawkeye to amass 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game since Bruce King versus Ohio State on Jan. 27, 1977. He is also the only NBA, WNBA, or Division I men’s or women’s player in the last 20 years to total 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, 4+ assists, 4+ 3-pointers, and 2+ blocks in the same game.

Murray has scored 20+ points and notched double-doubles in a team-best four games this season. The last time a Hawkeye pulled down 20 or more rebounds in a game was Kris’ brother, Keegan, versus N.C. Central on Nov. 16, 2021. Tuesday’s 20-rebounding performance marks the 25th time in program history that the feat was accomplished.

The last Hawkeye to earn weekly honors from the Big Ten Conference was Keegan Murray on March 7, 2022.

Iowa (6-1) faces No. 15 Duke (8-2) on Tuesday at approximately 8:30 p.m. (CT) in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.