Kansas University senior forward Crystal Kemp was named Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Player of the Week by a media voting panel for games played from Dec. 5-11, the conference office announced Monday.
The honor was the first of Kemp’s career.
A Topeka, Kan., native, Kemp posted a double-double with a career-high 28 points to go with 11 rebounds, one steal, one block and one assist while playing a career-high 49 minutes in KU’s 90-87 double overtime win over Wisconsin on Sunday.
Kemp led Kansas’ come-from-behind win after the Jayhawks trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half, by scoring 20 points in the second half or overtime periods — including a crucial three-point play plus another free throw in the final minutes of the game.
Earlier in the week against UMKC, Kemp had another strong outing with a game-high 16 points to go with four rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal, while only playing 27 minutes.
For the week, she averaged 22 points and 7.5 rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 86 percent from the free throw line.
Kemp becomes the first KU player to receive a Big 12 weekly honor since Aquanita Burras was named Rookie of the Week on Dec. 9, 2002. The most recent Player of the Week honor from Kansas went to Lynn Pride on Jan. 3, 2000.
Kansas’ double-overtime win over Wisconsin moved the Jayhawks to 7-0 to start the season — KU’s best start since 1991-92 when the team went 10-0. Kansas returns to the court on Sunday, Dec. 18 when it hosts Florida International at 1 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.
