History Makers: Purdue's Trevion Williams, Brandon Newman Win Big Ten Awards
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the first time in school history, Purdue swept the Big Ten's weekly Player of the Week awards. Trevion Williams was named Co-Player of the Week and Brandon Newman was named Freshman of the Week.
Williams, the 6-foot-10 junior forward from Chicago, shared the award with Minnesota's Liam Robbins. He averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in wins over Indiana and Penn State to help Purdue improve to 10-5 overall on the season and 5-3 in the Big Ten.
He had double-doubles in both games and now has five on the season. He led the team in both points (22) and rebounds (10) in the Boilermakers’ 81-69 win at Indiana. Surpassed 500 career rebounds during the game. Williams currently ranks fifth in the country in total rebounds (145) and 11th in made field goals (100).
Newman, a redshirt freshman from Valparaiso, Ind., was the league's top freshman. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in Purdue’s wins against Indiana and Penn State. Also added two assists and two steals on the week. Held the oppositions’ top guards to a combined 6-for-24 (.250 pct.) shooting on the week.
He scored 12 points (second-most on the team) and added six defensive rebounds to open the week in the Boilermakers’ 81-69 win at Indiana. Against Penn State, he scored 13 points and grabbed five defensive rebounds in the team’s 80-72 win vs. Penn State. He also had three blocked shots in the contest.
Newman becomes the third Boilermaker freshman to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Week this season. Fellow freshmen Zach Edey and Mason Gillis won the award on Nov. 11 and Dec. 21, respectively.
Players of the Week
- Nov. 30 – Luka Garza, Iowa senior center
- Dec. 7 – Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana sophomore forward
- Dec. 14 – Luka Garza, Iowa, and Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois junior guard
- Dec. 21 – Boo Buie, Northwestern sophomore guard
- Dec. 28 – Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois and Marcus Carr, Minnesota junior guard
- Jan. 4 – Liam Robbins, Minnesota junior center
- Jan. 11 – Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana, and Jordan Bohannon, Iowa senior guard
- Jan. 18 – Trevion Williams, Purdue junior center, and Liam Robbins, Minnesota.
Freshmen of the Week
- Nov. 30 – Adam Miller, Illinois guard, and Zach Edey, Purdue center
- Dec. 7 – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan center
- Dec. 14 – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan center
- Dec. 21 – Mason Gillis, Purdue forward
- Dec. 28 – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan center
- Jan. 4 – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan center
- Jan. 11 – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan center
- Jan. 18 – Brandon Newman, Purdue guard
Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who's worked at some America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star. He also owns the book publishing company, Hilltop30 Publishing Group, and he has written four books and published 16 others.