Feb. 2, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF women's basketball player Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) has been named the Conference USA Player of the Week for the second time this season, and freshman Aisha Patrick (Rockledge, Fla.) was tabbed C-USA Rookie of the Week as UCF swept the league's weekly awards for the first time, the conference office announced Monday. The pair helped the Knights to a pair of home wins last week to improve to 6-2 in C-USA play.
Wiley became the first UCF player to win a C-USA weekly honor when she was named player of the week on Dec. 22, and her second award marks a league-best third time a Knight has won the award in 2008-09. Sophomore Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.) earned the distinction on Jan. 12.
Patrick becomes the first UCF player to win C-USA Rookie of the Week honors since the Knights joined the conference in 2005-06.
"I am proud of both Chelsie and Aisha for earning these well-deserved honors," said head coach Joi Williams. "Chelsie shot the ball extremely well and knocked down some big shots in both games, and Aisha continues to give us a consistent effort and fill the stat sheet on both ends of the floor. They have both worked hard and I am glad to see that work recognized."
Wiley, a 5-foot-7 sophomore guard, scored 22 and 30 points respectively and played every minute of wins over East Carolina and Marshall. In the 83-72 win over ECU, she knocked down 9-of-14 shots from the field, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. She followed that with her second 30-point game of the season, hitting 11-of-18 shots from the floor and 7-for-9 from long range to lead all scorers as the Knights defeated Marshall 75-67.
For the week, Wiley averaged 26 points per game and hit 20-of-32 shots from the field, including 11-for-14 from beyond the arc. The seven threes are tied for the second-most by a C-USA player in a league game. She currently ranks second in the league and third nationally in three-point percentage, hitting 42-of-83 for 50.6 percent.
A freshman from Rockledge, Fla., Patrick continued her impressive first season in a Knights' uniform by averaging 15 points, 8.5 assists and five rebounds in the UCF wins last week. On Thursday, Patrick flirted with a triple-double before finishing with 16 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Joining Wiley by playing all 40 minutes Saturday, Patrick scored 14 points and tallied four assists against Marshall.
Patrick is in the top five among C-USA freshmen in eight major statistical categories, including ranking first in minutes (33.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). She is also fifth in scoring (9.4), third in rebounding (5.7), second in assists (3.2), third in free-throw percentage (74.2) and third in steals (2.3). In conference games only, Patrick leads all league freshmen in points per game (12.0), assists (4.3), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.6) and minutes (34.3).
Season tickets for the UCF women's basketball program are currently on sale through the UCF ticket sales office. For more information about the arena's premium seating options, including club seats, group discounts, courtside tables and suites, contact the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000 or visit the women's basketball ticket page at UCFAthletics.cstv.com/tickets/w-baskbl-tickets.html.
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