NEW YORK – Seton Hall graduate student guard Faith Masonius was named the BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, announced on Monday. Masonius averaged 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals in a 2-0 week against Villanova and Georgetown. Jada Eads is BIG EAST Freshman of the Week after scoring all eight of Seton Hall’s overtime points to lead the Pirates to a 74-71 victory versus the Hoyas, to finish with a career-high 27 points.
UConn freshman forward Sarah Strong, Creighton senior forward Morgan Maly, DePaul junior guard Taylor Johnson-Matthews, Georgetown senior center Ariel Jenkins and Marquette sophomore forward Skylar Forbes were named to this week’s honor roll.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Faith Masonius, Seton Hall, Gr., G
Masonius averaged 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals in a 2-0 week with a buzzer-beating victory at Villanova on Wednesday, and an overtime win over Georgetown on Saturday as the Pirates improved to 4-0 in the BIG EAST for the first time in program history. Masonius had a team-high 17 points to go with five rebounds and two steals at Villanova. She hit a backwards buzzer beater surrounded by four defenders as Seton Hall stunned the Wildcats, 56-55. Against Georgetown, she poured in 21 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting to go with six rebounds and six assists.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Jada Eads, Seton Hall, Fr., G
Eads scored all eight points for Seton Hall in overtime, including the game-winning three to lead the Pirates to a 74-71 win over Georgetown. Eads recorded a career-high 27 points on the strength of 5-for-10 shooting from three-point range, to go with seven assists, four boards and four steals in the victory. In the 56-55 win at Villanova, she had 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. Eads finished the 2-0 week averaging 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F
Strong averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game in two road wins over Marquette and Villanova. The freshman scored 15 points, added seven rebounds, four assists, two steals at Marquette, followed by her sixth 20-point game of the season at Villanova.
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., F
Maly recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in Creighton’s 68-64 win over Butler on Wednesday. At Providence she led the Bluejays with 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help Creighton move to 4-0 in conference action.
Taylor Johnson-Matthews, DePaul, Jr., G
Johnson-Matthews scored a career-high 24 points, including 5-for-10 from 3-point range to go with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in the 65-60 win over Xavier.
Ariel Jenkins, Georgetown, Sr., C
Jenkins averaged a double-double in a 1-1 week for the Hoyas, including a career-high 22 points and 14 rebounds in the 64-41 victory versus Xavier.
Skylar Forbes, Marquette, So., F
Forbes averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks in a 1-1 week against UConn and Butler. Forbes scored a game-high 20 points to go along with five rebounds versus UConn on New Years Day. She then recorded a game-high 21 points and six rebounds in the 57-54 win against Butler.