Griffin Wins Second Big 12 Rookie Award

Lincoln - Nebraska freshman forward Kelsey Griffin claimed her second Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week honor in the past month when the conference office announced its weekly award winners on Monday afternoon. Griffin produced one of the top five performances by a freshman in school history with 28 points and 12 rebounds at Kansas State on Saturday.

Griffin produced her third career double-double, including her second in Big 12 play. She won her first Big 12 weekly award on Jan. 9. Oklahoma freshman Courtney Paris captured Big 12 Player-of-the-Week accolades.

A 6-2 native of Eagle River, Alaska, Griffin scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds in the first half against Kansas State, to help NU build a seven-point first half lead against the Wildcats. She added 11 more points and six rebounds in the second half. She also set a career high with three blocked shots and hit her first career three-pointer in the game's final minute to pull the Huskers within five points.

In addition to going 9-of-18 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free throw line, Griffin pulled down six of Nebraska's 21 offensive rebounds to help the Huskers post a plus-eight rebounding margin against the Wildcats.

For the week, Griffin averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocked shots. She improved her season averages to 14.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and ranks among the top 15 players in the Big 12 in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage (56.0) and offensive rebounds (3.3 per game).

Griffin will lead the Huskers against defending national champion Baylor on Wednesday in Waco, Texas. Nebraska knocked off then-No. 2 Baylor 103-99 in triple overtime last season in Lincoln. Tip-off at the Ferrell Center is set for 7 p.m. with a live radio broadcast on 98.1 FM KFGE in Lincoln and on Huskers.com.