MANHATTAN, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics) – Junior Nae’Qwan Tomlin earned his first career weekly award on Tuesday afternoon (December 27), as he was selected as the Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week after his near double-double performance in the Wildcats’ 73-65 win over Radford on Dec. 21.
Tomlin led four Wildcats in double figures in the win over the Highlanders with a season-high 26 points to help K-State (11-1) extend its winning streak to 5 games and continue its best start to a season since 2016-17. It was his first career 20-point game, as he connected on 11-of-18 field goals, which included 4 dunks, to go with a 3-pointer and all 3 free throws attempted. He also tied a season-high with 9 rebounds to go with 2 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal in 33 minutes. He has now scored in double figures in 5 consecutive games, where he is averaging 16.4 points per game. He shared the weekly honor with Oklahoma’s Grant Sherfield.
A 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward from Harlem, N.Y., Tomlin leads the Wildcats in dunks (22) and blocked shots (1.2 bpg.), while he is second in field goals made (53) and rebounding (6.1 rpg.) and third in scoring (11.7 ppg.) and steals (1.2 spg.). He is connecting on 47.7 percent (53-of-111) from the field and 75.8 percent (25-of-33) from the free throw line. He ranks among the Big 12’s top-20 in 5 categories, including blocked shots (fourth), rebounding (ninth), defensive rebounds (4.0 drpg./10th), offensive rebounds (2.08 orpg./11th) and scoring (19th).
Tomlin is the second Wildcat to capture Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors this season, as teammate Keyontae Johnson has won it twice on Nov. 14 and Dec. 19. Overall, it marks the school’s 35th Newcomer of the Week honor since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including the third under head coach Jerome Tang.
Tomlin, along with Johnson and senior Markquis Nowell, have combined for four Player of the Week honors.
K-State returns from its 10-day holiday break on New Year’s Eve by hosting No. 24/24 West Virginia (10-2) at 6 p.m., CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ in the Big 12 opener at Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets start at just $15 and can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or in-person at the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.
How to follow the ‘Cats: For complete information on K-State men’s basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
