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 Senior Jennifer Gardner was tabbed Southern Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season on Tuesday. |
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Feb. 1, 2005
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina senior forward Jennifer Gardner has been selected Southern Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced today. The Norcross, Ga., native averaged a double-double last week, scoring 17.5 points and pulling down 12.5 rebounds per game for the Lady Catamounts.
The second-consecutive Player of the Week selection marks the third time this season the senior has garnered accolades from the conference, the most by any other performer in the league this season as she is the only player to be honored more than once.
She started the week with 10 points and seven rebounds in a 65-63 loss to Davidson on January 25. Gardner shot 66.7 percent from the floor and hit a pair of free-throws. The Wildcats connected on two free-throws in the final second of the game for the win. Gardner then led WCU with 25 points and 18 rebounds in a 69-59 win over College of Charleston on January 29. Her 18 rebounds was one off the league single-season high this year, also set by Gardner back in November. It was her sixth double-double of the season, and third in the past four games, as she nearly had a double-tilt at halftime with nine points and 10 boards in the first stanza. Gardner hit 7-of-11 shots against Charleston for a 63.6 percent field-goal percentage and was 10-of-11 from the free-throw line, snapping her string of 20-consecutive makes.
On the season, Gardner has surpassed the 20-plus point plateau four times this season and has recorded double-figure scoring in each of the past five games. She currently leads the Southern Conference in rebounding at 9.0 boards per game, as well as holding the top-spots in both offensive and defensive rebounding. She also ranks in the top ten in scoring (9th, 11.9 ppg), field goal percentage (9th, 42.9-percent), and free throw percentage (4th, 79.1-percent).
During her four years in Cullowhee, Gardner has tallied 28 career double doubles and has earned Player of the Week honors six times. She currently ranks 13th on the WCU All-time scoring list (1,166), 6th in rebounds (774), 2nd in career free throws made (369), 6th in free throws attempted (471), 4th in rebounding average (7.4), and 2nd in free-throw percentage at 78.3-percent.
The Lady Catamounts travel to Chattanooga on Saturday (Feb. 5) for a rematch of last year's Southern Conference Championship versus the Lady Mocs. The contest will be televised LIVE on C-SET, check your local listings or call your satellite provider for availability. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm at The McKenzie Arena, home of the 2005 Kyocera Southern Conference Basketball Championships. The game can also be heard on the Catamount Sports Network with air time of 6:45 pm.
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