Women's Basketball Weekly Release - Week 9

Complete Women's Basketball Weekly Release in pdf format

Photo courtesy of Harvard Athletic Communications

PRINCETON, N.J. -- For the second time in three weeks, one player takes home both Player and Rookie of the Week, as Harvard sophomore Temi Fagbenle (London) receives both awards. She also accomplished the feat on Dec. 17.

Harvard competed in the Surf ‘N Slam Classic in San Diego, taking on No. 14 Oklahoma State and SMU. Fagbenle averaged 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.5 blocks while shooting 55.6 percent from the field (15-of-27) in the two games and was named to the All-Tournament team for her efforts.

Fagbenle posted her third double-double of the season, and her second in as many games, in the Crimson’s 92-62 loss to the 14th-ranked Cowgirls. She scored a career-high 18 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. Fagbenle connected on her first career three-pointer and was 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Fagbenle then notched a career-high four blocks against SMU while recording 16 points and eight rebounds. She shot 53.3 percent from the floor against the Mustangs (8-of-15), setting a personal-best in field goals.

Harvard has earned a weekly award in every week that the team has competed this season. Fagbenle (Nov. 12, Dec. 10) was named Rookie of the Week twice, while senior Victoria Lippert (Nov. 19, Dec. 3) and junior Christine Clark (Nov. 26) have each been named Player of the Week. Fagbenle is Harvard’s first four-time Rookie of the Week recipient since Lippert in 2009-10. Fagbenle is the first rookie to earn both Player and Rookie of the Week twice since Penn's Alyssa Baron (Jan. 24, Feb. 7) in 2010-11.

PLAYER/ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Fagbenle's Statistics for the Week

Penn finished the Cyclone Challenge 2-0, with wins over Alabama State (52-37) and Air Force (61-39). The Quakers shared first-place in the event with the host team, which also went 2-0 against the same opponents. Their win over ASU was the epitome of a team performance, as no one player scored more than eight points but nine players scored. Leading by one at the half, Penn limited its opponent to 17.9 percent in the second half (5-of-28) to pull away for the win.

In their next game, the Quakers were led by junior Alyssa Baron, who scored a game-high 16 points, and sophomore Katy Allen, who grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, en route to the convincing victory over Air Force. It was Penn’s defense that again was the deciding factor, holding the Falcons to 18.5 percent (5-of-27) from the field in the first half and 29.1 percent (16-of-55) for the game.

Cornell only had one game on the week but used a pair of stellar performances to pull out a victory over visiting William & Mary, 60-56. Junior Allyson DiMagno posted her League-leading fifth double-double of the season, with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while senior Clare Fitzpatrick scored nine of her 15 points in the final 10 minutes of the game, including a pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining to clinch the win. Fitzpatrick had five assists in the game, including three during that 10-minute stretch that pushed the Big Red to victory.

Yale fell at Georgetown despite a pair of solid performances from sophomore Sarah Halejian and junior Janna Graf, who combined for 33 points. Halejian set a personal-best with nine assists, a League-high this season, and Graf connected on six three-pointers, matching her career-high.

Brown went 1-1 in the Terrapin Classic, falling to the host squad, No. 9 Maryland, 76-36, before rebounding to defeat UMES, 57-46. Senior Sheila Dixon scored 20 points in the win, her second 20-point effort of the season and the eighth of her career.

Dartmouth finished 0-2 in the Blue Sky Classic in Hanover, N.H., falling to Duquesne, 54-39, and Villanova, 60-37. Sophomore Tia Dawson grabbed 11 rebounds against the Dukes and fellow classmate Milica Toskovic finished one point and three rebounds shy of a double-double with nine points and seven boards against the Wildcats. In its only game of the week, Columbia fell at Long Beach State, 79-50. Freshman Sara Mead scored a team-high 11 points in the loss.

All eight teams will be in action before and after the New Year, highlighted by Princeton hosting Drexel on Monday and Penn taking on Saint Joseph’s on Saturday. Cornell and Yale will each face Bucknell, on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively, while Harvard (Jan. 2) and Dartmouth (Jan. 6) will each take on UMass.

HONOR ROLL
Katy Allen, Penn (So., F – Waukesha, Wis.)
8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block vs. Alabama State
7 points, 11 rebounds, 50.0 FG% vs. Air Force

Allyson DiMagno, Cornell (Jr., G – Fairport, N.Y.)
15 points, 12 rebounds, 63.6 FG% vs. William & Mary

Janna Graf, Yale (Jr., G – Mission Woods, Kan.)
18 points, 1 rebound, 2 steals, 46.2 3FG% at Georgetown

Clare Fitzpatrick, Cornell (Sr., F – Southbury, Conn.)
15 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 66.7 FG% vs. William & Mary

Sheila Dixon, Brown (Sr., G – Schenectady, N.Y.)
5 points, 3 assists, 1 steal at Maryland
20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 50.0 FG%, 50.0 3FG% at UMES

Sarah Halejian, Yale (So., G – Wyckoff, N.J.)
15 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 50.0 FG% at Georgetown

Sara Mead, Columbia (Fr., G – Winchester, Va.)
11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 80.0 FT% at Long Beach State

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Monday, December 31
Drexel at Princeton, 2 pm
Columbia at Cal State Fullerton, 5 pm

Wednesday, January 2
Army at Brown, 6 pm
Cornell at Bucknell, 7 pm
UMass at Harvard, 7 pm
Yale at Sacred Heart, 7 pm

Thursday, January 3
Holy Cross at Dartmouth, 7 pm

Saturday, January 5
Buffalo at Cornell, 1 pm
Brown at Lafayette, 2 pm
St. Joseph’s at Penn, 2 pm
Bucknell at Yale, 4 pm

Sunday, January 6
Dartmouth at UMass, 2 pm
Harvard at Rhode Island, 2 pm