BIG EAST Player of the Week
Unique Drake, St. John’s, R-Sr., G
Drake earns the honor for the second time in the last three weeks after leading the BIG EAST in scoring in a 2-0 week for the Red Storm. The redshirt-senior guard averaged 24.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in wins over No. 19 Marquette and Providence. Drake shot .526 from the field and .455 from three. With the wins, St. John’s improved to 3-1 in BIG EAST play as the Red Storm currently sit alone in second place in the standings. They have now won five out of their last six games.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Ashlynn Shade, Connecticut, Fr., G
Shade not only led all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring last week but finished third overall with her 17.0 average. The rookie guard shot 60-percent from the field in a pair of impressive road wins for the 12
th-ranked Huskies, adding 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. In Wednesday’s win at No. 21 Creighton, Shade tallied 18 points, five rebounds and a block. She followed that with 16 points and two blocks at Georgetown on Sunday. This is her third BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honor and the eighth earned by a UConn rookie this season.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut, R-Jr., G – 19.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals in a 2-0 road swing; game-high 24 points, seven assists in win at No. 21 Creighton on Wednesday
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Grad., F – 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists in a 1-1 week for the Hoyas; 20 points, eight rebounds at Butler on Wednesday before a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double against No. 12 UConn on Sunday
Olivia Olsen, Providence, Jr., F – 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals in 1-1 week; 19 points, eight rebounds, two blocks in win over DePaul – the first for the Friars since 2012
Azana Baines, Seton Hall, Grad., G/F – 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, .565 shooting in 1-1 week; game-high 21 points in setback to Villanova
Kaitlyn Orihel, Villanova, Jr., G – team-high 13 points in win at Seton Hall on Wednesday; added six rebounds and shot 4-of-7 from the field while registering a steal and assist