From UConn and the American:
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – For the second-straight week, University of Connecticut guard Kia Nurse (Hamilton, Ontario) was honored by the American Athletic Conference, earning the conference Freshman of the Week accolade, as announced by the league on Monday. In addition, senior forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was named to the conference’s weekly honor roll.
Nurse, who was an honor roll member last week, was tabbed as the 2014 Gulf Coast Showcase MVP after leading the Huskies to wins over College of Charleston, Vanderbilt, and Green Bay this weekend. The freshman guard scored 43 points (14.3 avg) in the Huskies’ three games, including a .600 shooting percentage from the floor. She also pulled down 16 total rebounds and dished out a team-best 14 assists during the week.
Nurse has earned four starts in six games for Connecticut, averaging 13.7 points and 3.6 assists per contest. She has connected on 30 of her first 50 collegiate shots and also boasts a stellar 3:1 assist to turnover ratio.
Mosqueda-Lewis, one of three Huskies tabbed to the Gulf Coast Showcase All-Tournament team, is one of the nation’s most dangerous threats from beyond the arc, converting 61.5 (24-of-39) percent of her attempts from long range this season. She scored 13 points with four boards and three assists in UConn’s 89-53 win over the Phoenix in Sunday’s championship game and also boasts Connecticut’s highest scoring average at 18.0 ppg.
The pair of standouts have helped the Huskies to a 5-1 record in 2014-15, including an average margin of victory of 38.5.
The Huskies return to action on Saturday, Dec. 6 when they No. 2 Notre Dame in South Bend on ESPN. Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m.
photo credit: ©2014 ian bethune
