DENVER – Louisiana Tech senior forward Shanavia Dowdell has been named the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 11-17. This is the third WAC Player of the Week honor of the season for Dowdell and the seventh of her career.
Dowdell, a Calera, Ala. native, averaged 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, all above her season averages, to lead Louisiana Tech to victories over New Mexico State and San Jose State. She shot 59 percent (16-of-27) from the field and recorded her WAC-leading eighth double-double of the season during the week. Dowdell opened the with 23 points and 16 rebounds in the win over New Mexico State – a team that had already posted non-conference wins over 21st ranked Kansas and Michigan. She then scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the victory over San Jose State.
Other nominees included: Boise State’s Janie Bos posted a career-high 29 points to go with 11 rebounds in the Broncos’ loss at Idaho … Jaleesa Ross of Fresno State averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists as the Bulldogs went 2-0 on the week to improve to 4-0 in WAC play … Hawai’i’s Breanna Arbuckle averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks to lead the Rainbow Wahine to a 1-1 record on the week … Yinka Olorunnife of Idaho averaged 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds as the Vandals went 1-1 on the week … Nevada’s Tahnee Robinson led the Wolf Pack to a 2-0 mark with 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game … Lydia Whitehead of Utah State averaged 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds on the week.