PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly women’s basketball honors, for the week ending Monday, March 4.
Player of the Week
IImar’I Thomas * So. * F * Cincinnati
Thomas averaged a double-double in Cincinnati’s final week of the season as the Bearcats secured their highest league win total as a member of The American. In the Bearcats’ 57-43 win over USF, she scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and followed two days later with an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double at Tulane on Monday. Against the Green Wave, Thomas added three assists, two steals and two blocks. For the week, the sophomore averaged 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 steals and 2.0 assists per outing as Cincinnati earned the No. 3 seed for the conference championship.
Freshman of the Week
Marissa Mackins * Fr. * G * Temple
Mackins was all over the floor for Temple in the Owls’ 2-1 week, averaging 19.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She set a pair of career-highs, first scoring 19 points on 6-of-14 from the field against Tulsa on Feb. 27. Mackins then upped that total to 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting with five 3-pointers in the Owls’ win over Memphis on March 4. Those outings bookended a 15-point, 7-assist, 4-rebound outing against Wichita State on March 2. The Owls clinched the No. 6 seed for the conference championship with back-to-back wins to close the regular season.
Weekly Honor Roll
Kay Kay Wright * Jr. * G * UCF
Averaged 18.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.0 steals for UCF in a 2-0 week that saw the Knights wrap up the No. 2 seed for the conference championship; scored 21 points and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line against Houston in the regular-season finale
Lashonda Monk * So. * G * ECU
Led ECU in scoring in both games this week as the Pirates went 2-0 and earned the No. 8 seed for the conference championship; averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 steals, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line
Angel Rizor * Jr. * F * Cincinnati
Put forth a 15-point, 8-rebound, four-assist outing in the Bearcats’ regular season finale win at Tulane; ended the week averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals as Cincinnati went 2-0
Tamara Henshaw * Jr. * P * USF
Anchored the Bulls on the boards in a three-game week, averaging 11.7 rebounds and 6.3 points per game; scored nine points and grabbed a career-high 15 boards in a win over Houston before snagging 13 rebounds with seven points against Cincinnati
Paige Bayliss * Fr. * F * SMU
Averaged 13.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in SMU’s 1-1 week; posted 12 points and 6 rebounds in a win over Memphis before dropping 14 points with three boards against ECU