CHICAGO – UCLA freshman guard/forward Nikola Kusturica has been recognized as the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Week for the week of Nov. 2-8, as announced Monday afternoon by the Big Ten Conference office.

A 6-foot-9 guard/forward from Novi Sad, Serbia, Kusturica has become UCLA’s first freshman men’s basketball student-athlete to secure the Big Ten’s weekly “freshman of the week” award, with the Bruins now in their third year competing in the Big Ten.

Kusturica averaged 19.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 assists in his first two collegiate contests last week. He shot 13-for-23 overall (56.5 percent) and knocked down 4 of 11 attempts from 3-point distance (36.4 percent) between both games. In addition, Kusturica was 9-for-10 at the free throw line.

Kusturica scored a team-high 29 points in UCLA’s 51-point win over North Florida on Friday night. He scored 26 of his 29 points in the first half, connecting on each of his first nine shot attempts and his first four 3-point attempts (finished 10-for-12 overall and 4-for-6 from three). He became UCLA’s first freshman with at least 29 points in a contest since TJ Leaf finished with 32 points in a Bruins’ win at Washington State on Feb. 1, 2017.

In the Bruins’ season-opening win in Las Vegas, Kusturica totaled 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks against No. 5 Arizona on Monday, Nov. 2.

Kusturica’s efforts last week have helped propel UCLA into the No. 9 slot in this week’s Associated Press top-25 poll. The Bruins were last ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. UCLA was ranked No. 7 heading into the NCAA Tournament that year and was ranked No. 8 after having advanced to the tournament’s Sweet 16.

UCLA will return to action against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Game time at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial is set for 6 p.m. (PT). UCLA’s game will be streamed live via Peacock and also available by viewing NBC Sports Network.