Dec. 12, 2005
Dallas, Texas - Mizzou junior guard Thomas Gardner (Portland, Ore. / Jefferson HS) was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Co-Player of the Week after averaging 30.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals in games vs. Davidson (Dec. 7) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 10) last week.
Gardner joined Iowa State's Rahshon Clark as the Conference's Co-Player of the Week. Clark averaged of 21.5 points in intrastate wins against Drake and Iowa.
Gardner opened with a career-high 30-point effort on the road at Davidson. The 6-foot-5 guard hit a career high 8-of-14 three-pointers, with the eight treys tying for the third most in school history. The eight triples are also the fourth highest total in the Division I ranks this season and the second most by a player competing on the road.
Gardner became the first Tiger since Anthony Peeler (Jan. 13 - Jan. 18, 1992) to record back-to-back 30-point games with his 30-point effort in an 82-81 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Portland, Ore., native was once again red-hot from the perimeter, hitting 5-of-9 treys and 11-of-22 shots overall to lead Mizzou to the win. The 11 buckets were a career high for Gardner, while the five treys pushed his season total to 24, tops in the Big 12 Conference. Over six games thus far, Gardner is averaging 4.0 three-point makes per game, which not only leads the league, but ranks among the top 10 nationally. His 49.0 percent shooting stroke from bonus distance is also grouped with the nation's elite and is third overall in the Big 12. Over his last two games, Gardner is 13-of-23 from beyond the arc (56.5 percent) and 22-of-42 from the floor overall (53.4 percent).
With the honor, Gardner became Mizzou's first Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Player of the Week since Rickey Paulding on March 1, 2004. Paulding averaged 24.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in wins over No. 6 Oklahoma State (31 points) and Kansas State (17 points).
Currently in the midst of finals, Mizzou returns to action on Dec. 18 with a 2 p.m. contest against Furman at Mizzou Arena.
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