OU Basketball: Oklahoma G Jeremiah Fears Wins SEC Award

By OU Media Relations

NORMAN — University of Oklahoma freshman men's basketball player Jeremiah Fears was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday following his standout performances at No. 2 Florida and vs. No. 21 Mississippi State.

The league's freshman-of-the-week honor is the third for Fears, who was also honored Dec. 2 and Dec. 23.

In OU's two games last week, Fears averaged 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting .519 from the field, .462 (6 for 13) from 3-point range and .789 (15 for 19) from the free throw line. The guard's 49 points on the week led all SEC freshmen (next most was 29) and his 12 assists on the week were one shy of the SEC lead and most by a freshman.

The 6-4, 182-pound Fears registered his first career double-double with 27 points and a career-high 10 assists in OU's 93-87 Saturday win over No. 21 Mississippi State. He also contributed five rebounds, a block and a steal. He became just the second SEC player, regardless of class, since at least the 1996-97 season to finish with at least 27 points, at least 10 assists and at least five rebounds in a game (the other was Auburn's Sharife Cooper in 2020-21).

Fears' 14 free throw attempts against Mississippi State tied a career high and his 11 makes were one shy of his career best.

In OU's Tuesday loss at second-ranked Florida, Fears recorded a game-high 22 points. He tied a career high with four 3-pointers and logged five rebounds, two assists and a steal.

On the season, the Joliet, Ill., product is the only SEC player to rank in the top 10 in the league in scoring (10th at 15.9 ppg), field goal percentage (10th at .444) and free throw percentage (10th at .839). He also ranks sixth in assists per game (4.0).

Nationally, Fears and Duke's Cooper Flagg are the only freshmen to average at least 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He is the only player in the SEC, regardless of class, with those numbers this season.

Oklahoma (17-10, 4-10 SEC) hosts No. 17 Kentucky (18-9, 7-7) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center. The game will mark Kentucky's first in Norman in men's basketball.