Tony Thompson (Kansas) and Brad Buehler (Missouri) have earned the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, for games of April 27-May 3 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference.  Both are being honored for the first time. 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tony Thompson, Kansas, So., 3B, 6-5, 210, Reno, Nev./Galena
Sophomore Tony Thompson batted .429 during KU’s series win at No. 9 Oklahoma with two doubles and a pair of three-run homers in Sunday’s game. It was the Reno, Nev. native’s third multi-home run game of the season. Thompson started the series going 3-for-5 with a double and a pair of runs scored as KU topped the Sooners, 5-4 on Friday.  KU’s third baseman doubled home two runs in the first inning of Saturday’s win, his 17th multi-RBI game of the season. Thompson then added to his Big 12-leading RBI total with six in Sunday’s finale, the most by a Jayhawk in a game this season. His 62 RBI in 2009 are tops in the conference and the most by a Kansas player since 2004, while his 14 homers are tied for the fourth-most in a single-season by a Jayhawk.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Brad Buehler, Missouri, RHP, So., 6-1, 205, Festus, Mo./St. Pius X
Buehler appeared in all four of the Tigers’ games last week and did not allow a run in five innings pitched, while picking up two saves. He pitched the final 1.1 innings against Eastern Illinois on Tuesday, striking out one and recording his fourth save of the year. The Festus, Mo. hurler threw a scoreless ninth inning on Friday in the series opener against Nebraska with one K. Buehler then pitched the Tigers out of two holes on Saturday against NU. The Huskers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and scored once before Buehler came out of the bullpen to force two pop outs. Then after Nebraska got two singles to start the ninth, he got a ground out and two strikeouts to close the game, earning his fifth save of the year. On Sunday, the Huskers loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, when Buehler came on in relief to limit the damage, including getting a strikeout for the final out of the game.

2009 PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK