Hamson garners second straight Player of the Week honor

SAN BRUNO, Calif. –The West Coast Conference has named senior center Jennifer Hamson its Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for February 10, 2014. The honor is the second straight and the third this season.

For the second straight week, the 6-foot-7 senior center from Lindon, Utah, and Pleasant Grove High School, recorded back-to-back double-doubles and lifted the Cougars to WCC Bay Area road sweeps over Santa Clara and San Francisco.

Hamson averaged 25.0 points per game, 15.5 rebounds, 5.0 blocks and shot 45.7 percent from the field and 94.7 percent from the free throw stripe. She leads BYU in scoring (17.9), rebounding (11.2) and blocks (100) while leading the nation in blocked shots per game with a 4.1 average and ranks 12^th nationally in double-doubles.

In last week’s league action, she picked up her 16th double-double of the year (fourth consecutive) with 25 points and 13 rebounds at San Francisco.  The 25 points were the 12th time and the third straight that she’s finished a game with 20-plus points. Both the points and rebounds were game highs as were the eight blocks. She also shot 90 percent from the free throw (9-10).

With 25 points and a game-best 18 rebounds, Hamson picked up her 15th double-double of the year and the second straight in the overtime road win at Santa Clara. The 25 points were the 11th time she’s put up 20-plus points and the 18 boards tied her career high. She also finished the game making all nine free throws attempted while tying for the game high in blocks with two.

The Cougars return to action in the Marriott Center this week hosting Portland Thursday night and No. 15 Gonzaga Saturday afternoon.