Pac-12 announces women's basketball players of the week
SAN FRANCISCO - WASHINGTON’s Kelsey Plum was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week, while UTAH’s Joeseta Fatuesi was tabbed the Freshman of the Week, as announced by the Conference on Monday. Plum, who scored a career-best 45 points, was named a Freshman of the Week seven times last season and earns her first nod as a Player of the Week.
Sophomore guard Kelsey Plum (Poway, Calif.) set a Washington single-game record with 45 points in the Huskies’ opening night loss at Oklahoma, 90-80. Plum shot 15-of-27 from the field, including 3-of-7 from three-point range, while making all 12 of her attempts at there free throw line, against the Sooners, a team that has made 15-straight NCAA Tournaments, Plum helped rally the Huskies from an 18-point deficit to get within three in the final minute. Plum also added a team-high five assists and brought down four rebounds. On the defensive end she added three steals and two blocked shots.
Utes center Joeseta Fatuesi (Santa Clara, Calif.) made a strong debut with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, just shy of a double-double with nine rebounds in Utah’s 100-87 overtime victory over San Jose State. In the overtime period, Fatuesi had five points and was 3-of-4 from the foul line, while grabbing four rebounds. Utah has now won five-consecutive season openers.
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.
The Huskies come back to the West Coast for their home opener Thursday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. PT against South Dakota and will follow with another home game Sunday Nov. 23 against Yale at 7:30 p.m. PT. The Utes head to Nebraska for games Thursday night at Creighton at 7:05 p.m. CT, and Sunday at Nebraska 1 p.m. CT.
Also Nominated:
PLAYER: Sophie Brunner, ASU; Courtney Range, CAL; Katelyn Loper, ORE; Ruth Hamblin, OSU; Lili Thompson, STAN; Nirra Fields, UCLA; Kaneisha Horn, USC; Taryn Wicijowski, UTAH; Lia Galdeira, WSU
FRESHMAN: Mikayla Cowling, CAL; Jordin Canada, UCLA; McKenzie Calvert, USC