The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s basketball for Week 13 of the season:
ROB DILLINGHAM, KENTUCKY
The 6-foot-3 freshman guard from Hickory, North Carolina, had two strong performances last week even as the 17th-ranked Wildcats lost twice. The Southeastern Conference's freshman of the week first had 20 points, four rebounds and four assists in an overtime loss to Florida. Then came a season-high 35 points on 14-for-20 shooting, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range, in a loss to No. 6 Tennessee. The 35 points were the fourth-highest output by a Kentucky freshman in the John Calipari era as well as making Dillingham only the third player to hit 35 points against Tennessee under ninth-year Vols coach Rick Barnes.
RUNNER-UP Quincy Olivari, Xavier. The 6-3 senior guard and Big East player of the week went for 43 points — the most in Division I last week and third-highest output all season — and snagged 10 rebounds in a win at DePaul. He also had 23 points and seven rebounds in a win against St. John's. For the week, Olivari shot 50% from the field, made 11 of 20 3-pointers (.550) and hit all 19 of his foul shots.
HONORABLE MENTION Harrison Ingram (North Carolina),Tyler Kolek (Marquette), Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee).
KEEP AN EYE ON Kezza Giffa, High Point. The 6-2 junior guard has been on a tear for the Big South-leading Panthers (20-4, 9-0), who entered the week with the nation's longest winning streak at 12 games. Giffa is averaging 16.9 points but has scored 23-plus points in six straight games — including 37 points at Winthrop on Jan. 27. The highlight last week was an unusual stat line against Presbyterian: he scored 26 points on 2-for-7 shooting by making 22 of 24 free throws, with the 22 foul shots tying a league single-game record and standing as the most by any DI player this season.___AP voters: Aaron Beard, Cliff Brunt, Gary B. Graves, Beth Harris, Mike Marot, John Marshall, Eric Olson, Dave Skretta, Teresa M. Walker.
