OSU's Smart Named Big 12 Player Of The Week

Oklahoma State freshman Marcus Smart has been named the Big 12 Conference's Player of the Week. It is Smart's first Player of the Week honor after being named the conference's Rookie of the Week twice this season (Nov. 19 and Jan. 7).

Smart turned in an impressive all-around performance to lead Oklahoma State to two victories last week, averaging 23 points and 7.5 rebounds with 10 assists and nine steals. He started with 21 points, seven assists and one turnover in a 78-76 victory over Iowa State, a game in which he hit a half-court shot at the end of the first half and scored the game-winning field goal with 3.1 seconds remaining in the game.

He then tied his career high with 25 points as OSU ended Kansas' 33-game home court winning streak with an 85-80 victory over the No. 2 Jayhawks. The freshman guard had some key buckets down the stretch as Oklahoma State defeated a top-five team on the road for the first time since 1958. In the two games, Smart shot 53.1 percent from the floor and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line. He leads the Big 12 in steals, while ranking eighth in scoring and sixth in assists this season.

Smart becomes the 20th different Cowboy, and the first-ever OSU freshman, to receive conference player of the week accolades, Big Eight or Big 12. It is the second time this season that a Cowboy has been named player of the week, as sophomore Le'Bryan Nash was honored on Nov. 19 for his performances in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Former Cowboy and current Houston Rocket James Anderson holds the school record with five Big 12 Player of the Week awards.