Minnesota sophomore center Daniel Oturuhas been named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. It is the second straight week the Gophers have taken home the award, after classmate Gabe Kalscheur shared it last Monday.
Oturu was dominant in posting the first 20-20 game by a Gopher in more than 53 years, registering 21 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in the win over FIU on Saturday. The last Gopher to do so was Tom Kondla at Kansas State on Dec. 1, 1966, while Oturu also became the first Big Ten player in more than 11 years to reach the mark. He added one assist, one block and one steal in his 32-minute outing, which saw him go 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
The Woodbury, Minn., native's rebounding night matches the 10th highest total in program history, and the most since Jordan Murphy had 21 last season against Penn State. In the process, Oturu earned his seventh double-double of the season, accomplishing that feat in the first half for the third time this year.
Oturu earns the award for the first time in his career, after being named the Big Ten's top freshman twice a season ago. It marks the third straight year that the Gophers have earned Big Ten Player of the Week in consecutive weeks.
The Gophers return to action after the ball drops, continuing Big Ten play in the New Year as they travel to Purdue on Thursday at 6 p.m.
