Big South Announces Women's Basketball Players of the Week - Jan. 27
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Gardner-Webb guard
Ashley Hawkins (Long Beach, Calif.) has been named the Big South Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, while USC Upstate guard
Cassie Gallagher (Cookeville, Tenn.) is the Freshman of the Week for games played Jan. 20-26, it was announced today.
Hawkins recorded a 26-point, 10-assist double-double with a career-high seven steals and five rebounds in the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ 77-65 win at UNC Asheville. She became the first Big South player since the 2022-23 season to record a double-double with at least 20 points and 10 assists. Hawkins shot 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from the field and was 1-of-2 from 3-point range and 7-of-8 ( =87.5 percent) from the free-throw line. She registered 14 points, five assists, and three steals in the first half, adding 12 points, five assists, and four steals in the second half. Her 26 points were a team-high and were also the most points scored against UNC Asheville in conference play this season.
Gallagher scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds, and added an assist and a steal to help USC Upstate snap Longwood’s eight-game winning streak and hand the Lancers their first conference loss of the season. She made three of the Spartans’ four 3-pointers, finishing 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) from deep, with all but one of her field goals coming from beyond the arc (4-of-11). On Wednesday, Gallagher also tacked on four points at High Point. She averaged 7.5 points and 2.0 rebounds overall on the week.
Also nominated for Player of the Week:
Keshunti Nichols (Charleston Southern),
Jaleesa Lawrence (High Point),
Joi Williams (Radford) and
Rebekah Gordon (USC Upstate).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Maja Rohkohl (Gardner-Webb) and
Adelyn Traylor-Walker (Radford).