Lamar Wilkerson just etched his name into Indiana basketball history - and the national spotlight is taking notice.
The fifth-year senior guard was named one of the Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and for good reason. Wilkerson didn’t just have a big game - he delivered a performance that rewrote the record books and lit up Assembly Hall like few before him.
In Indiana’s 113-72 win over Penn State on Dec. 9, Wilkerson exploded for 44 points, setting a new building record at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and tying the most points ever scored by a Hoosier in a Big Ten home game.
He knocked down a staggering 10 three-pointers - the most in program history - and did it all in just 24 minutes of action. That’s not just efficient - that’s historic.
To put it in perspective: according to OptaSTATS, Wilkerson is the only player in either Division I or the NBA over the last 30 seasons to score 40-plus points and hit 10-plus threes in a game while playing fewer than 25 minutes. That’s not just rare - it’s unprecedented.
And this wasn’t just a flash-in-the-pan moment. Wilkerson, a transfer from Sam Houston State, averaged 29.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals across Indiana’s two games last week, shooting 63.6% from the field and a red-hot 60% from beyond the arc. Even in a tough road loss at Kentucky, he managed to chip in 15 points and two boards, showing that his scoring touch travels.
This kind of breakout is exactly what Indiana fans were hoping for when Wilkerson arrived in Bloomington. His ability to stretch the floor, create off the dribble, and heat up in a hurry gives the Hoosiers a dynamic offensive weapon - and he’s proving he can do it on the big stage.
Wilkerson’s 44-point outburst was the most by a Hoosier against a Big Ten opponent since Mike Woodson dropped 48 at Illinois back in 1979. It also marked the highest-scoring performance in a Big Ten home game since Jimmy Rayl scored 44 against Wisconsin in 1962.
Only Luka Garza, who scored 44 for Iowa in 2019, has reached that number in the conference in recent years. And the 10 made threes?
That ties Jordan Bohannon’s Big Ten mark from 2022.
In a conference known for its bruising defense and grind-it-out style, Wilkerson’s electric scoring display was a jolt of energy - and a reminder that Indiana has a serious offensive threat in its backcourt.
He shared the USBWA weekly honor with Myles Colvin Jr. (Wake Forest), Melvin Council Jr.
(Kansas), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), and Dennis Parker Jr. (Radford), but make no mistake - Wilkerson’s name was the headliner.
The Hoosiers are back in action on Saturday, Dec. 10, when they host Chicago State at Assembly Hall. If Wilkerson keeps shooting like this, Indiana fans might want to get there early - because history doesn’t always wait until the second half.