bigten.org dec. 31, 2001
Penney Garners Back-to-Back Player of Week Honors
Kirk Penney, WIS
JR, G, Auckland, New Zealand/Westlake
Kirk Penney becomes the first player to earn back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week honors since 1999 after leading the Badgers to a pair of wins last week, averaging 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
The junior guard opened the week by posting his first career double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where the Badgers’ Bo Ryan served as head coach last season. Penney, who hit 8-15 from the field and 11-13 from the line, drilled one of his two three-pointers with 1:15 left in the game to tie the score as UW rallied for the 81-79 victory. Penney followed with 16 points in a home win over Tennessee, as Wisconsin extended its season-best winning streak to four games.
The New Zealand native shared Big Ten Player of the Week honors last week with Illinois’ Frank Williams after pouring in a career-high 33 points against Marquette. Penney is the first Wisconsin player to earn the weekly Conference honor twice in a season since Michael Finley accomplished the feat during the 1992-93 season. The last Big Ten standout to earn Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks was Ohio State’s Scoonie Penn on February 15 and 22, 1999.