SAN FRANCISCO – Stanford sophomore KZ Okpala was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Week on Monday. The Cardinal forward averaged 26.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals in a pair of wins last week.
Okpala scored a career-best 29 points and collected 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in Stanford's season-opening 96-74 win against Seattle last Tuesday. In the 72-59 road win over UNC Wilmington this past Friday, the forward scored 23 points and added three rebounds. Okpala also recorded three steals as Stanford matched its highest steal total in a game in the last 22 years with 15 swipes against the Seahawks.
Stanford is 2-0 on the season with the convincing wins over Seattle and UNC Wilmington. Okpala, who averaged 10 ppg as a freshman last season, ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring (26.0 ppg), sixth in blocks (2.0 bpg) and sixth in steals (2.0 spg). He has connected on 20 of his 24 free throw attempts this season.
The Pac-12 Player of the Week award is the first conference honor of Okpala's career.
Okpala and Stanford are in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for tonight's matchup with No. 7 North Carolina at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2.
