Mike Watkins was named co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday following his double-double in a 52-50 upset of then-No. 24 Minnesota.

Mike Watkins earns second @B1GMBBall Freshman of the Week honor after double-double vs. #24 Minnesota. #PSUMBB

https://t.co/4b60MPcqVi pic.twitter.com/N4KfjLT7w1

— Penn State Hoops (@PennStateMBB) January 16, 2017

Watkins, an imposing redshirt freshman forward out of Philadelphia, shared the honor with Michigan State’s Miles Bridges. It’s the second time this season that Watkins has brought home said conference recognition. He’s currently second in the Big Ten in blocked shots with 50 through 18 games. Only Minnesota’s Reggie Lynch has more (54) thus far.

Watkins is also fourth in the conference in rebounds per game (8.8) with 158 boards on the year. He’s been nothing short of a revelation for Penn State’s frontcourt, starting 14 games in his debut season to this point. The 6-foot-9 forward can also finish above the rim. He’s the fifth Nittany Lion to average double digits in scoring with 10.3 points per game.

About the Author

Ethan Kasales

Ethan’s a senior journalism major who grew up in Lemont, a few minutes from campus. When he’s not covering Penn State sports, you can usually find him golfing or teaching snowboarding at Tussey Mountain. Feel free to email him at ethan@onwardstate.com.

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