WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - The Pac-12 Conference office announced today the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Players of the Week for the week of Feb. 10-17. WASHINGTON STATE’s Tia Presley was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the first time this season, while WASHINGTON’s Kelsey Plum was tabbed the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for a league-record tying sixth time this season.
A junior guard from Spokane, Wash., Tia Presley averaged 32.0 points per game, shot 50.0 percent from floor and 82.1 percent at the free throw line (23-for-28) while helping Washington State to a road sweep of Utah and Colorado, WSU’s first road sweep of the season. Presley notched WSU’s first back-to-back 30-point efforts since Jenni Ruff in 1995-96, netting 32 points in both victories. Half of her points came from the free throw line in the 83-73 win at Utah, as she went 16-for-21, tying the single-game school record for attempts. She also added four rebounds, a pair of assists and a couple of steals. In the 80-77 win at Colorado, 22 of her 32 points were in the first half, and also hit three threes and was 7-for-7 from the line. With the wins, the Cougs are 14-12 and 8-6 in Conference play, the most overall and league wins for the team since 1995-96. Presley also became WSU’s first 500-point scorer in a season since that same year.
A guard from Poway, Calif., Kelsey Plum averaged 22.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and shot 53.6 percent from the field, leading the Huskies to a pair of road victories, as well. Plum is the second-highest scoring freshman in the country, averaging 19.9 ppg. In Friday’s 87-80 win over Colorado, Plum scored 18 of her 25 points in the second half as UW turned a 1-point halftime deficit into a seven-point victory. Plum was 10-for-16 from the floor and added a career-best eight rebounds, two assists and a steal. On Sunday, Plum scored 19 points in a 67-66 win at Utah to complete the road sweep. Plum was 8-for-10 from the free throw line to go 12-for-14 on the week. She also added seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
It is Presley’s first-career player of the week honor and Washington State’s 14th all-time, and first since Jazmine Perkins won the award on Jan. 2 2012. Plum is tied with OREGON’s Chrishae Rowe for the most weekly freshman nods in a season. Rowe broke the Conference record with her sixth selection on Feb. 3.
A player of the week has been selected every week since 1986-87, the first year the Conference sponsored women’s sports. A freshman of the week was first selected in 2012-13.
Both Washington and Washington State remain at home this week hosting Oregon and Oregon State on either Friday or Sunday, Feb. 21 and Feb. 23. Check pac-12.com for detailed schedules.
Also Nominated:
PLAYER: Reshanda Gray, CAL; Jamee Swan, COLO; Ruth Hamblin, OSU; Chiney Ogwumike, STAN; Michelle Plouffe, UTAH; Kelsey Plum, WASH.
FRESHMAN: Mercedes Jefflo, CAL; Sydney Weise, OSU.
2013-14 Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Players of the Week
Player | Freshman | |
Nov. 11 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Chrishae Rowe, ORE |
Nov. 18 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Chrishae Rowe, ORE |
Nov. 25 | Atonye Nyingifa, UCLA | Kelsey Plum, WASH |
Dec. 2 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Sophie Brunner, ASU |
Dec. 9 | Arielle Roberson, COLO | Chrishae Rowe, ORE |
Dec. 16 | Michelle Plouffe, UTAH | Emily Potter, UTAH |
Dec. 23 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Kelsey Plum, WASH |
Dec. 30 | Nirra Fields, UCLA | Chrishae Rowe, ORE |
Jan. 6 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Kelsey Plum, WASH |
Jan. 13 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Sydney Wiese, OSU |
Jan. 20 | Cassie Harberts, USC | Kelsey Plum, WASH |
Jan. 27 | Jillian Alleyne, ORE | Chrishae Rowe, ORE |
Feb. 3 | Chiney Ogwumike, STAN | Chrishae Rowe, ORE |
Feb. 10 | Reshanda Gray, CAL | Kelsey Plum, WASH |
Feb. 17 | Tia Presley, WSU | Kelsey Plum, WASH |