PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s first weekly women’s basketball honors of the 2018-19 season, for the week ending Sunday, Nov. 11.
Player of the Week
Alyssa Okoene * R-So. * F * Houston
Okoene delivered a career performance in an exciting opening week for RV Houston. In the Cougars’ double-overtime victory against Georgia Tech on Friday, the North Carolina transfer tallied her first career double-double, dropping 26 points with 11 rebounds while shooting .625 from the field (10-for-16). Six of her rebounds came on the offensive end, and she shot 6-for-9 from the foul line. Coupled with seven points and two rebounds in a one-point loss at No. 24 California earlier in the week, Okoene totaled 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game on the week.
Freshman of the Week
Beatriz Jordao * Fr. * F * USF
Jordao began her USF career with a double-double out of the gate, netting 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against defending Big Ten champion Ohio State on Tuesday. She converted eight of her nine field goal attempts on the contest, adding two blocks in 22 minutes. Against Albany on Thursday, Jordao finished just shy of another double-double with seven points and nine boards in 23 minutes. For the week, the Pombal, Portugal native finished with 12.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and six blocks.
Weekly Honor Roll
Katie Lou Samuelson * Sr. * G/F * UConn
Led the No. 2 Huskies with 19 points and seven rebounds, adding three steals and a block against Ohio State on Sunday
Raven Johnson * Jr. * G * ECU
Tabulated back-to-back 19-point, 4-rebound outings to start the season, leading ECU to wins over Maryland Eastern Shore and Monmouth
Alicia Froling * R-Sr. * F * SMU
Registered a double-double in her first game since missing last season due to injury, scoring 19 points with 12 boards in the Mustangs’ win over Louisiana Monroe
Alliya Butts * Gr. * G * Temple
Averaged 15 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 3.5 assists on the Owls’ 2-0 opening week and reached the 1,500 career point mark against Saint Joseph’s on Friday
Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage * Sr. * F * Wichita State
Registered a career-high 21 points with six rebounds in the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and followed with 13 points, two blocks and two steals against Missouri State on Saturday