DALLAS – (RV) Rice extended their win streak to 13 games and garnered their third consecutive Conference USA Player of the Week award in Erica Ogwumike. The Owls earned two road wins over some of the league’s top teams spearheaded by Ogwumike, earning her a share of the honors. Louisiana Tech’s Kierra Anthony was tabbed Co-Player of the Week as well for her 45-point output against Southern Miss that paced the Lady Techsters to a 21-point victory. Old Dominion’s Ajah Wayne claimed Freshman of the Week for her strong performances on both sides of the ball in the Monarchs’ weekend split. All C-USA weekly awards are presented by Top of the World.
 
Co-Player of the Week
Erica Ogwumike, Rice
Junior, 5-9, G, Cypress, Texas 
For the second week in a row, Ogwumike has earned Player of the Week honors. The junior averaged 21.5 points on 59.3 percent shooting to go along with 11.5 rebounds in two road wins for the Owls against Marshall and WKU. She recorded back-to-back double-doubles and now leads the conference with 13 on the season. In addition, the Cypress, Texas, native dished out five total assists and recorded two blocks across both double-digit victories. Rice is now 20-3 this season and is tied for the nation’s second-longest win streak.
 
Co-Player of the Week
Kierra Anthony, Louisiana Tech
Senior, 5-9, G, New Iberia, Louisiana
Anthony had a stellar week against Southern Miss, pouring in an impressive 45 points to lead Louisiana Tech to a 106-85 victory, snapping the Golden Eagles four-game win streak. The senior set a C-USA single game record with 19 made field goals and her point total is tied for the sixth highest in league history. Anthony shot 80 percent from beyond the arc and 63.3 percent from the field in scoring the third most points in a single game in program history. The New Iberia, Louisiana, native also recorded seven steals, dished out six assists and pulled down four rebounds. Anthony now owns six of the top eight single game performances by a C-USA player this season.

Freshman of the Week
Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion
Freshman, 5-10, G, Birmingham, Alabama
Wayne paced the Monarchs against Middle Tennessee, handing the Blue Raiders their second conference loss of the season. The freshman tallied 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the 70-65 victory while shooting 60 percent from the field. She also held Middle Tennessee’s leading scorer to just six points on 1-of-9 shooting. On the week, the Birmingham, Alabama, native averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.0 steals. This is the third C-USA weekly award of her career.

C-USA Players of the Week
N12:      Alex Johnson, Middle Tennessee
N19:      Kierra Anthony, Louisiana Tech 
N26:     Katelynn Thomas, UAB
D3:       Terriell Bradley, North Texas
D10:     Taylor Porter, Marshall
D17:      Kierra Anthony, Louisiana Tech
D24:     Deanna Kuzmanic, UAB
D31:      A’Queen Hayes, Middle Tennessee
J7:        Anisha George, North Texas
J14:      Kierra Anthony, Louisiana Tech
            A’Queen Hayes, Middle Tennessee
J21:      Raneem Elgedawy, WKU
J28:      Nancy Mulkey, Rice
F4:       Erica Ogwumike, Rice
F11:      Kierra Anthony, Louisiana Tech
             Erica Ogwumike, Rice

C-USA Freshmen of the Week
N12:      Jazmin Harris, Charlotte | Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion
N19:      Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion 
N26:     Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee
D3:       Keiunna Walker, Louisiana Tech
D10:     Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee
D17:      Daishai Almond, Southern Miss
D24:     Jazmin Harris, Charlotte
D31:      Meral Abdelgawad, WKU
J7:        Meral Abdelgawad, WKU
J14:      Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee
J21:      Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee
            Meral Abdelgawad, WKU
J28:      Kelsey Jones, Southern Miss
F4:       Brianna Harris, Louisiana Tech
F11:       Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion