Nirra Fields and Kia Nurse earn weekly awards
After a pair of big weeks leading into their respective conference tournaments, Nirra Fields and Kia Nurse both earned our nods for Week 16 honors …
Women’s Player of the Week
Nirra Fields, UCLA
UCLA’s Nirra Fields had another good week for Bruins team that will now wait to see if they will be dancing this month. In the two PAC-12 Conference Tournament games last week, she averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds,1.5 assists, 1.5 steals in 28.5 minutes of action. She shot a combined 14-of-32 from the floor to earn our NC-Double-Eh Women’s Player of the Week.
In UCLA’s 80-62 conference tournament win over Arizona March 5 Fields had 21 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in 23 minutes. She went 10-of-16 from the floor, including 1-of-4 from behind the three.
In the Bruins’ tough 67-62 loss to Stanford the following day Fields had 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist in 36 minutes.
On the season, Fields is averaging 14.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.3 steals in 31.7 minutes per game.
Honorable Mention:
Cassandra Brown, Portland – 19 pts, 6 rebs, 1 blk, 4-of-10 FGs, 3-of-7 3-PT FGs, 8-of-8 FTs in 35 mins in one game.
Women’s Rookie of the Week
Kia Nurse, Connecticut
Kia Nurse continues to show that she is not just your average freshman. In Connecticut’s three games last week, she averaged 10 points, 2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1 steal in 25 minutes. She shot 12-of-28 form the field, 2-of-10 from behind the arc and made all three of her free throws to earn our nod for NC-Double-Eh Women’s Rookie of the Week.
In Connecticut’s 88-65 win over South Florida March 3 to close the regular season, Nurse ahd 11 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals in 30 minutes. She shot 5-of-7 from the floor and 1-of-2 from the three.
In the Huskies’ 93-34 blowout win to start the conference tournament March 7, Nurse had 10 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists in 21 minutes. She shot 4-of-11 from the floor, made 1-of-5 three pointers and split her two free throws.
In UConn’s second blowout of the conference tournament the following day, Nurse had 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal in 24 minutes in the 106-56 win over East Carolina. She shot 3-of-7 from the floor and made all three of her shots from the stripe.
For the season, Nurse is averaging 10.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals in 24.9 minutes. She’s shooting 50.4% from the field, 39.8% from 3-Pt land and 71.4% from the line.
Honorable Mention:
Megan Smith, Robert Morris – 16 pts. 5 rebs, 3 blks, 5-of-7 FGs 1-of-1 3-PT FGs, 5-of-5 FTs in 31 mins in one game.
