KU’s Dedric Lawson honored again, Jayhawks still 7th in AP poll

By Matt Tait     Jan 14, 2019

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Kansas forward Dedric Lawson (1) shoots over Baylor guard Jared Butler (12) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson)

For the third time on the newcomer circuit and sixth time in the weekly awards, KU junior Dedric Lawson was honored by the Big 12 on Monday as the conference’s newcomer of the week.

Lawson, who averaged 24 points and 8.5 rebounds during wins over TCU and Baylor last week, earned the top newcomer honor for the third time.

Lawson scored a season-high 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in KU’s win over the Horned Frogs last Wednesday and followed that up with a 17-point effort at Baylor last weekend.
His performance in Waco, Texas, included a season-high five blocked shots and a career-high five steals, which made him the third player in Big 12 history to record five blocks and five steals in the same game.

Baylor’s Quincy Acy (2008) and Brian Skinner (1996) previously achieved the feat.

Lawson, now has 11 double-doubles this season, which, heading into last weekend, tied him for the most in Division I so far this season, with South Dakota State’s Mike Daum and Bowling Green’s Demajeo Wiggins.

None of the three recorded a double-double in their most recent games and UNC-Wilmington’s Devontae Cacok did, giving him the national lead, with a dozen.

Lawson, the Memphis native who transferred from Memphis before the 2017-18 season, has recorded a double-double in seven of KU’s past nine games.

**Jayhawks still 7th in AP poll**

Despite two victories last week, including yet another Top 25 win, the Jayhawks stayed in the No. 7 spot in this week’s Associated Press Top 25, released Monday.

The top 10 spots remained unchanged, with Duke, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia and Gonzaga holding down the top five spots and Michigan State, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech and Nevada surrounding KU in rounding out the Top 10.

Future KU foe Kentucky (Jan. 26 in Lexington) and past KU victim Marquette, each jumped six spots to Nos. 12 and 15, respectively.

Oklahoma jumped three spots to No. 20 and Iowa State, which was ranked No. 20 after knocking off KU, fell out of the Top 25 following losses to Baylor and Kansas State.

Five of this week’s Top 25 teams owe one of their losses to Kansas, with No. 3 Tennessee, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 15 Marquette, No. 20 OU and No. 22 Villanova all falling to Kansas earlier this season.

*Complete AP Top 25 for January, 14, 2019 -*

1 – Duke, 14-1 (36)

2 – Michigan, 17-0 (9)

3 – Tennessee, 14-1 (13)

4 – Virginia, 15-0 (6)

5 – Gonzaga, 16-2

6 – Michigan State, 15-2

7 – Kansas, 14-2

8 – Texas Tech, 15-1

9 – Virginia Tech, 14-1

10 – Nevada, 16-1

11 – Florida State, 13-3

12 – Kentucky, 12-3

13 – North Carolina, 12-4

14 – Auburn, 12-3

15 – Marquette, 14-3

16 – Buffalo, 15-1

17 – North Carolina State, 14-2

18 – Ole Miss, 13-2

19 – Maryland, 14-3

20 – Oklahoma, 13-3

21 – Houston, 16-1

22 – Villanova, 13-4

23 – Iowa, 14-3

24 – Mississippi State, 12-3

25 – Indiana, 12-4

**Others receiving votes:** Louisville 112, Nebraska 36, Ohio St. 34, Wisconsin 31, Iowa St. 20, UCF 17, Purdue 16, Kansas St 14, St. John’s 12, TCU 12, Murray St. 9, Washington 8, Arizona 8, LSU 7, Seton Hall 6, South Carolina 6, Temple 5, Minnesota 3, Wofford 2, Cincinnati 2, Florida 1, Hofstra 1.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.