Pac-12 announces Women's Basketball players of the week

• Download Complete Release (PDF)

SAN FRANCISCO - STANFORD’s Lili Thompson was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week, while CALIFORNIA’s Mikayla Cowling was tabbed the Freshman of the Week, as announced by the Conference on Monday.

Sophomore guard Lili Thompson (Mansfield, Texas) averaged 26.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in Stanford’s 1-1 week which included a win over then-No. 1 Connecticut. Against the Huskies, she scored 24 points to lead the Cardinal to an 88-86 overtime victory, which ended UConn’s 47-game winning streak. Thompson followed that performance with career highs in both points (28) and rebounds (7) in Stanford’s overtime loss to No. 10 Texas, 87-81. Thompson ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring (26.0 ppg) and has gone for more than 20 in each game this season, the first Stanford guard to do so in three-straight games since Candice Wiggins in 2008.

Golden Bears forward Mikalyla Cowling (Benicia, Calif.) averaged 16.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for California at the Rainbow Wahine Calssic in Honolulu helping the team secure wins over Hawaii, 79-72, and Missouri, 82-70. The freshman shot .714 for three-point range on the weekend, going 5-for-7 in both games. Cowling went 12-of-17 from the field overall on the weekend, shooting an impressive .706 and helping the Golden Bears to their best start (4-0) since going 6-0 to open the 2012-13 season.

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.

Stanford hits the road for a matchup with New Mexico tonight at 6 p.m. PT before heading to Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine Shootout from Nov. 28-30. The Golden Bears will be at home this weekend hosting the Cal Classic, and play their first game on Friday at 5:30 p.m. PT against San Jose State.

Also Nominated:

PLAYER: Sophie Brunner, ASU; Reshanda Gray, CAL; Jen Reese, COLO; Ruth Hamblin, OSU; Alexyz Vaioletama, USC; Malia Nawahine, UTAH; Kelsey Plum, WASH; Shalie Dhensaw, WSU

FRESHMAN: Charise Holloway, ARIZ; Marie Gulich, OSU; Kaylee Johnson, STAN; Louise Brown, WSU

2014 Player of the Week History