Taurasi and Strother Earn BIG EAST Weekly Honors

PROVIDENCE, RI (Feb. 3) - Junior Diana Taurasi (Chino, CA) and freshman Ann Strother (Castle Rock, CO) of the Connecticut women’s basketball team received weekly BIG EAST honors announced by the league officials on Monday, morning. Taurasi received Co-BIG EAST Player of the Week honors for the fifth time this season, while Strother was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week for the first time this season.  Taurasi shares her honor with Amber Jacobs of Boston College.

Taurasi averaged 16 points, six rebounds and five assists in two victories last week.  She had 17 points, five rebounds and five assist in the upset win over No.1 Duke.  Against No. 20 Villanova, Taurasi scored 15 points, grabbed seven boards and dished out five assists.  In the two games Taurasi shot 42 percent from behind the arc.

Strother earned her first rookie of the week honors averaging 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds last week.  She grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to go along with 17 points for her second career double-double, against No.1 Duke.  Strother also had 11 points and four rebounds in the win against No. 20 Villanova.  In the two victories, Strother shot 44 percent (7-16) from the field, 86 percent (6-7) from behind the arc and 89 percent (8-9) from the charity stripe.

The Huskies return to action on Tuesday, February 4, against St. John's at Alumni Hall in Jamaica, NY.  Tip-off is set for 7:30 pm and can be seen locally on CPTV.