Alexander honored for big week
IOWA CITY (U of I) — University of Iowa junior Kachine Alexander has been named co-Big Ten Player of the Week for her efforts in Iowa’s wins over Santa Clara and Illinois State to open the 2009-10 season. The announcement came Monday from the Big Ten office.
Alexander, who shares the weekly honor with Ohio State’s Jantel Lavender, was named MVP of the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge.
The Minneapolis, Minn., native recorded double-doubles in both games, and now has 11 career double-doubles.
Alexander tied a Hawkeye Challenge tournament record by grabbing 18 rebounds (nine offensive, nine defensive), along with netting 19 points in Iowa’s season-opening win over Santa Clara. Both her 19 points and 18 rebounds were game highs.
Alexander followed on Sunday with a 21 point, 12 rebound (nine offensive, three defensive) performance in the championship game against Illinois State.
Alexander was clutch down the stretch at the free-throw line, making 13-16 attempts from the charity stripe.
This is the third time that Alexander has garnered Player of the Week honors. She was named Big Ten Player of the Week twice last season.
The Hawks host Kansas at 7 p.m. tonight in Carver Hawkeye Arena.
ISU’s Prins named
Big 12 Freshman of the Week
AMES (ISU) — Iowa State center Anna Prins was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week by a media voting panel for season-opening games of Nov. 13-15.
Prins scored 20 points to lead Iowa State to an 80-40 win over Florida Atlantic in the team’s season opener on Sunday. The 6-foot-7 center went 7-of-10 from the field, including hitting three of her five attempts from behind the 3-point line. She also connected on 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.
“For Anna to be named Big 12 Freshman of the Week is a special way to begin her career at Iowa State,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said.
The Broomfield, Colo., native contributed five rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot in just 21 minutes of action in her career opener. Prins led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring in the opening weekend of regular-season action.
Prins became the first Cyclone newcomer to win the award since Kelsey Bolte earned Freshman of the Week accolades three times during the 2008 season. Prins is the first Iowa State newcomer to ever win the award in the first week of the season.
Oklahoma State’s Andrea Riley was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week after averaging 25.5 points, six rebounds, 5.5 assists, and two steals in a pair of Cowgirl wins in the WNIT.
The Cyclones will travel to Des Moines to face Drake at 2 p.m. Sunday.
