Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis (pictured) and Georgia's Kenny Gaines share SEC Player of the Week honors, it was announced Monday, Nov. 23.

Ulis, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound guard from Chicago, Ill., was the catalyst behind Kentucky’s wins over No. 4 Duke and Wright State. Ulis averaged team highs in points (19.5), assists (5.5), steals (2.0) and free-throw percentage (.889) to lead UK to a 4-0 start to the season.

Against the defending national champions, Ulis scored a game-high and career-high 18 points while dishing out a game-high six assists with no turnovers in 40 minutes of play. Ulis followed that remarkable performance with a game-high and career-high 21 points and a game-high five assists in the victory over Wright State.

Gaines, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior forward from Atlanta, Ga., poured in a career-high 35 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 63-52 win over Murray State. He accounted for 55.6 percent of Georgia’s scoring in the game, including 64.7 percent (22 of 34) in the second half.

Gaines’ 55.6 percent of Georgia’s scoring output is the highest percentage of team offense as far back as complete records are available for the Bulldogs (beginning with the 1960-61 season). He equaled the No. 15 single-game scoring high in school history and also recorded the No. 6 and No. 5 marks for 3-pointers made (7) and attempted (14), respectively.

SEC Freshman of the Week Chosen

LSU’s Ben Simmons has been named the league's Freshman of the Week.

Simmons, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward from Melbourne, Australia, averaged 22.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and three steals in wins over Kennesaw State and South Alabama. With 23 points and 16 rebounds against USA, Simmons became the first SEC freshman to have a 20 point-15 rebound game since Julius Randle of Kentucky during the 2013-14 season.

Photo by Jamie H. Vaught