DENVER – Denver senior guard Emiko Smith has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 28-Feb. 3. This is her first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Los Angeles native led Denver to a 2-0 record last week with a pair of wins over UTSA and Texas State. Smith opened the week with a team-high 15 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and a steal against the Roadrunners. She followed it up with a rare points-assists double-double of 12 points and 11 assists to go along with four rebounds and two steals against the Bobcats. For the week, Smith averaged 13.5 points, 7.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals. She shot 56 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the free throw line.
Other nominees included: Lulu Perry of Louisiana Tech averaged 17.5 points on 61 percent shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 as the Lady Techsters went 1-1 on the week ... New Mexico State’s Stefanie Gilbreath averaged 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals as the Aggies went 0-2 on the week ... Kacie Sowell of Seattle U averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds as the Redhawks went 0-2 on the week ... UTSA’s Ashley Spaletta averaged 13.0 points and 3.0 rebounds as the Roadrunners went 1-1 on the week ... Erin Peoples of Texas State averaged 13.5 points and 11.5 rebounds as the Bobcats went 1-1 on the week ... Utah State’s Devyn Christensen averaged 20.5 points, 3.0 steals and 1.5 rebounds per game as the Aggies went 2-0 on the week.