Nebraska and Michigan players earn Big Ten weekly awards

Nebraska C Andre Almeida was named Big Ten player of the week for scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 79-63 win over Wake Forest. (US Presswire)

Nebraska C Andre Almeida is making up for lost time.

The native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is off to the best start of his career after missing all of last season with a knee injury. And the rest of the league is taking notice. The 6-foot-11, 314-pound senior earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors for posting 20 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in a 79-63 win over Wake Forest.

It was the first weekly honor for Almeida as he tied a career-high in scoring by making 9 of 10 field goals. Overall, he is averaging 9.7 points and 5.5 rebounds this season.

“He was as aggressive as I've seen him,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles told the World-Herald News Service. “He did a really nice job getting to the rim. He played as well as I've seen him play.”

In the meantime, Michigan G Nik Stauskas was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week a second consecutive time for averaging 21 points on 56 percent shooting from the floor in wins over North Carolina State and Bradley.

The 6-foot-6, 190-pounder from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, came off the bench to score 20 points in the win over the Wolfpack before setting a new career-high with 22 as a starter against the Braves.

“With Nik in the lineup, it gives us more of a threat with him starting,” Michigan coach John Beilein told the Detroit Free Press.

Stauskas is averaging 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and shooting 62.1 percent from 3-point range this season.

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Big Ten bloggers Dave Carey and Mike Singer, follow @CBSSportsBigTen.