Laksa Shoots Her Way to the American Player of the Week
TAMPA, DEC. 18, 2017 – For the second time this season,
Kitija Laksa is the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week. Laksa led the Bulls to a 2-0 and had a near perfect outing against Southern Friday.
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Laksa (Riga, Latvia) averaged 22.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. The junior boasted a .556 field goal percentage and an even better .579 three-point field goal percentage. Against Southern, Laksa turned in 40 points in three quarters and went 11-for-12 from behind the arc. The guard missed her first three-point attempt of the game but proceeded to make her next 11. The streak is a new NCAA record.
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In NCAA DI, only five players have scored 40-plus points. Louisville's Asia Durr scored 47, Chennedy Carter (Texas A&M) netted 46, Taeler Deer (Texas State) scored 44 and Lauren Dickerson (Miami, Ohio) scored 42. Laksa's 11 three-point field goals ties Amber Ramirez (TCU) and Kendall Spray (UT Martin) for the most three-point field goals made this season in NCAA DI.
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Laksa was named The American Player of the Week earlier this season and has reeived the honor six times in her career.
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Laksa and the Bulls return to action at the New Orleans Shootout Dec. 20-22. USF will open the shootout againt Dayton and will face Michigan State Thursday. Both games are scheduled for 8:30 ET.
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USF notched its fifth consecutive 20-win season. The Bulls tallied its 20th win in their 24th contest of the season which tied the fastest any program has reached 20 wins. This is the eighth 20-win season in program history and head coach Jose Fernandez has been at the helm for all eight 20-win seasons. The 2014-15 team reached 20 wins in 24 games, and still currently holds the best record for most wins in a season (27).
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USF has made 13 postseason tournament appearances and had five NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 17 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to eight 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 300 games.
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