Big South Announces Women's Basketball Players of the Week - Nov. 24
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – USC Upstate guard
Cassie Gallagher (Cookeville, Tenn.) and High Point guard
Aaliyah Collins (Snohomish, Wash.) have been named the Big South Women’s Basketball Co-Players of the Week, while Radford forward
Georgia Simonsen (Fairfax, Va.) is the Freshman of the Week for games played Nov. 17-23, it was announced today.
Gallagher averaged 21.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in three games for USC Upstate, highlighted by a career-high 35 points at Morehead State. She shot 47.8 percent from the field (22-of-46), 58.8 percent from 3-point range (10-of-17) and was 10-of-14 from the free throw line (71.4 percent). The redshirt sophomore opened the week with 18 points, four rebounds and two blocks in a 78-68 win over South Carolina State, followed by a team-high 11 points against Marshall. Gallagher then scored 35 points on 13-of-26 shooting against the Eagles, including 7-of-11 from beyond the arc. Her 35 points accounted for more than half of the Spartans’ scoring, and her 13 made field goals and seven made 3-pointers were both career highs.
Collins averaged 21.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals in two games for High Point, highlighted by a career-high 29 points in a win over Vermont. She shot 50.0 percent from the field (17-of-34) and averaged 2.5 rebounds per game. The graduate guard’s 29 points came on 12-of-18 shooting, along with three assists and two steals, as the Panthers improved to 5-0 to tie the third-best start in Big South history. Collins added 14 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals at Houston, and went 9-of-13 from the free throw line for the week.
Simonsen nearly averaged a double-double with 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in Radford’s 2-0 week, and also contributed 3.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. The Fairfax, Va., native led the Highlanders defensively in holding Furman to 50 points, finishing with three blocks, eight rebounds and 10 points in the 18-point win. She followed with her first collegiate double-double, posting 15 points and 10 rebounds — including six offensive — in an 80-58 victory over Niagara.
Also nominated for Player of the Week:
Caelan Ellis (Charleston Southern),
Amina Gray (Gardner-Webb),
Joi Williams (Radford) and
Mya Pierfax (Winthrop).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Kinley Paterson (USC Upstate) and
Ryiah Wilson (Winthrop).