MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — After producing last-second heroics at Baylor and a career-high 35 points against Kansas State, Juwan Staten was recognized as Big 12 player of the week Monday.
“He’s been terrific,” Bob Huggins said on the Big 12 coaches teleconference. “He’s studied film, he’s tried to learn the game. He’s gotten so much better with his decision-making, knowing when to go (to the rim), when not to go.”
West Virginia (13-9, 5-4) edged the Bears 66-64 on Staten’s layup with 3.1 seconds left, and then saw its point guard prove unguardable in an 81-71 win over the Wildcats. The junior averaged 25 points, seven assists and four rebounds for the week.
Staten is assembling all-around totals worthy of league MVP consideration. He ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.0 points per game—just one-tenth of a point behind Iowa State’s Melvin Ejim—and leads in assists (5.95), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.91) and minutes played (37).
After tying Rod Thorn’s school record by making 18-of-21 free throws against K-State, Staten also tops the conference in free-throws and attempts this season. He’s third in field-goal shooting (52.7 percent), sixth in steals (1.32) and 18th in rebounding (5.8).