Jalen Hood-Schifino Earns Big Ten Weekly Honors After Game Against Purdue

After posting 35 points on 14-of-24 shooting against Purdue on Saturday night, Indiana's Jalen Hood-Schifino was named the Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week. The Hoosiers swept the Boilermakers for the first time since 2013.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Indiana's freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was named the Big Ten Player of the Week honors and also named the conference's Freshman of the Week, it was announced Monday afternoon. 

He averaged 25.5 points and five rebounds as the Hoosiers split a pair of games last week, which included a 35-point performance that led the team to a 79-71 win over Purdue on Saturday at Mackey Arena. 

"He's tough. I don't know if we see him again," Purdue coach Matt Painter said of Hood-Schifino. "Like, that's impressive. Very few people have rolled through here and done that, if anybody." 

Hood-Schifino was 14-of-24 from the floor while adding seven rebounds and two assists. He was 1-of-2 from 3-point range and went 6-of-7 from the free-throw line in the victory. 

In the first half alone, Hood-Schifino scored 23 points and helped Indiana hold Purdue's largest lead to just seven points on its home court. A 17-2 run after halftime put the Hoosiers ahead for good. 

"It was an unbelievable display of basketball for him," Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. "He played 40 minutes and to get the ball where it's got to go offensively, have to defend and then put the ball in the hole, he had a tremendous game for us. And we needed it." 

Hood-Schifino scored the second most points by a freshman in Indiana history and fell one point shy of tying Jay Edwards, who scored a total of 36 points in a game back in 1988. 

The projected first-round NBA Draft pick garnered his first career Player of the Week award and fourth Freshman of the Week honor. 

"He's got a bright future," Painter said. "Because guys that can do that consistently —make tough shots and distribute and make his team better — You know, there's not very many guys like that out there."

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