Zeller named co-Big Ten Player of the Week

After posting double-digit scoring totals and across-the-board contributions in a pair of IU wins last week that helped propel the team up to No. 2 nationally, sophomore forward Cody Zeller was named the Big Ten co-Player of the Week Monday.

He shares the honor with Ohio State’s Deshaun Thomas, a Fort Wayne native.

For the week, Zeller averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

However, arguably his most crucial contribution of the week did not appear in any box score.

With seconds remaining in Saturday afternoon’s 88-81 win against then-No. 8 Minnesota, Zeller tipped a missed free throw by senior Jordan Hulls back to the guard. Hulls was fouled again and hit two free throws to effectively clinch the game.

Despite winning the conference’s Freshman of the Week award seven times last season, this is Zeller’s first Player of the Week award.

He is the first Hoosier to win the weekly honor this season. In December 2011, senior forward Christian Watford was the last to earn it.

Freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell is the only other IU player to win a weekly honor this season, taking home the freshman honor after the season’s opening week.

“Our guys aren’t dominating the Big Ten Player of the Week, Big Ten Freshman of the Week mantles, because it’s rare that it’s going to be one guy with major points,” IU Coach Tom Crean said after the Minnesota win. “We have got a lot of balanced scoring.”

— Max McCombs