SEC Women’s Basketball Weekly Awards: Week 5

Player of the Week

Te-Hina Paopao	South Carolina
G • Sr.	Oceanside, Calif.

Te-Hina Paopao tied for team-high scoring honors this week (13.5 ppg) and was named MVP of the Gamecocks’ Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase victory over #11/7 Utah. Her defensive effort, which helped hold the nation’s most efficient 3-point shooting team to just 25.0 percent from outside, was paired with clutch shooting as the Gamecocks held off the Utes late. Her team-high seven fourth-quarter points included a tough 3 after Utah had pulled within three midway through the quarter and she drew an offensive foul in a five-point game with 56 seconds to go. Paopao opened the game with a field goal and two assists on the Gamecocks first three possessions. Against Morgan State, she did her work early and played just 23 minutes. Her continued hot shooting yielded 12 points, and the Gamecocks scored another 13 points off her five assists. She shot 58.8 percent with a 45.5% three-point percentage. She averaged 13.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals for the week.

Freshman of the Week

Taliah Scott	Arkansas
G • Fr.	Orange Park, Fla.

Taliah Scott averaged 30 points per game along with 4.0 rebounds per game across the Hogs’ two games this week. She started the week by shooting the ball exceptionally well vs. LA Tech, going 12-of-16 from the field, as well as 5-of-8 from 3-point. Her five triples on Thursday were a career-high at the time. She finished the week with a 31-point performances along with matching a career-high six rebounds. Scott logged 23 points in the first half, and could not be stopped from beyond the arc in the game by logging a career-high six 3-pointers. Scott continues to lead the SEC in scoring with 24.5 points per game, while being the only player in the league to average 20.0+ points per game. The freshman is fifth in the NCAA in points per game and is only behind Caitlin Clark for total points, as Scott has logged 269 points through 11 games.