These women's basketball players posted big-time performances and were named to the krikya18.com starting five this week.
Paige Bueckers, UConn
UConn junior guard Paige Bueckers averaged 20.5 points, 3.0 steals, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game as the 17th-ranked Huskies rolled to a pair of wins over Ball State and No. 24 North Carolina.
Against the nationally-ranked Tar Heels on Sunday, Bueckers had a game-high 26 points, adding a career-high four blocks and three steals while shooting 11-of-14 from the field as the Huskies prevailed, 76-64. Bueckers also scored her 1,000th career point vs. the Tar Heels. She tied Maya Moore as the fastest Huskies to 1,000 points as they both reached the milestone in their 55th career games.
In the 90-63 win over Ball State on Dec. 6, Bueckers scored 15 points and added four rebounds and three assists.
The Huskies, 6-3, return to action this Saturday against No. 18 Louisville (10-1) in the XL Center.
Kayla Cooper, UAlbany
UAlbany senior guard Kayla Cooper averaged 18.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 2.5 steals in leading the Great Danes to victories over Central Connecticut State and Marist.
On Saturday, Cooper had almost half of the points for UAlbany, totaling 23 points and 13 rebounds along with four steals as the Great Danes defeated Marist, 49-39.
Earlier in the week on Dec. 6. Cooper tied for team-high honors with 14 points in the 56-37 win over Central Connecticut State.
UAlbany, 7-2, will continue its non-conference slate this week with two home games, facing Dartmouth on Dec. 12 and Stonehill on Dec. 16.
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Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
Gonzaga senior forward Yvonne Ejim continues to play at an elite level for the No. 21 Zags, averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as Gonzaga stretched its winning streak to four straight with road wins over California and Rice. She currently has scored in double digits for 18-straight games, dating back to last season.
Ejim recorded her fourth double-double this season, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Rice on Dec. 9 as the Zags rolled 80-72.
Against California earlier in the week, Ejim had 21 points and nine rebounds as Gonzaga won in overtime, 78-70. For Ejim, it was her seventh 20-point game of the season.
Gonzaga, 10-2, will next host South Dakota St. on Dec. 17.
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
South Carolina senior guard Te-Hina Paopao keyed a pair of Gamecock victories last week, including their fourth against a ranked opponent, which leads the nation.
Paopao tied for team-high scoring honors with 13.5 points per game last week, which she did on 58.8 percent shooting, including 45.5 percent from 3-point range. She also contributed 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals in wins over Morgan State and No. 7 Utah.
With 15 points and three steals against Utah, Paopao was named the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase Game MVP. Her defensive effort against the Utes helped hold the nation’s most efficient 3-point shooting team to just 25.0 percent from beyond the arc. Paopao also hit clutch shots in the game, scoring a team-high seven points in the fourth quarter, including a tough 3-pointer after Utah had pulled within three points midway through the period.
On the season, Paopao is 15th in the nation with a Southeastern Conference-best 51.2 percent 3-point shooting, and her 2.75 made 3-pointers per game are second in the SEC. She is currently averaging 13.1 points per game for the season, including a team-high 14.3 points per game against ranked opponents. She is one of four Gamecock guards shooting over 50.0 percent from the field on the season, and she is second on the team in assists at 3.5 per game.
No. 1 ranked South Carolina, 9-0, is back in action on Dec. 16 against Presbyterian.
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Alissa Pili, Utah
Utah senior forward Alissa Pili averaged 34 points per game as the Utes split a pair of games with top-ranked South Carolina and Saint Joseph’s.
Pili was unstoppable with a career-high 37 points against No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday afternoon, even though Utah came up short, 78-69. Pili shot 65.2 percent from the field going 15-23. She went 3-6 from beyond the 3-point line and made all four of her free throws. She also managed two rebounds, one assist and three steals. Pili's 37 points are the most scored by a Pac-12 Conference player this season.
Before taking on South Carolina, Pili had 31 points in a 74-48 win at Saint Joseph's on Dec. 7. She shot 70.6 percent from the field going 12-17 from the field and 3-4 from deep. Pili pulled down seven rebounds and had three assists.
Pili is averaging 24.6 points per game so far this season, ranking No. 4 in the NCAA. She is second in the nation in field goal percentage at 72.1 percent this season, and fifth in the nation, shooting 55.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line this season.
Utah, 8-2, will next hit the road to take on in-state rival Southern Utah on Dec. 16.
