ORLANDO – While the UCF women's basketball team prepares for tipoff against Temple, one Knight is being recognized for her stellar performance last week. UCF senior Diamond Battles was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Monday.
Battles led UCF to an undefeated week of league play to help the Knights (14-3, 6-1 The American) remain at the top of the conference standings.
She tallied her fifth 20-point game of the season to help the Black and Gold rally from a 13-point deficit to top Tulane on Jan. 26. She scored nine points in the third quarter alone – including a 6-0 run by herself in the final 1:23 to pull UCF back within striking distance. She finished with a game-high 21 points, shooting 66.7 percent (8-12) and was 3-of-5 (60 percent) from 3-point range. Her five assists against the Green Wave moved her into a tie for 10th on UCF's all-time career list.
Battles showed her efficiency in the Jan. 29 win at Wichita State, scoring 14 points in 28 minutes. She shot 50 percent in 28 minutes against the Shockers and took sole possession of 10th on UCF's career assists list as she had five dimes in the road win.
The Winter Haven, Florida native averaged 17.5 points per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. She also averaged 4.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game with a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio for the Knights.
Her 58.3 field goal percentage ranked fourth among league players last week – and was the best percentage by a guard. She was the only person in the league to rank in the top five in scoring, field goal percentage and assists last week.
Battles has shot 50 percent or better – and reached double figures – in each of the last four games.
She joins Tay Sanders as the two Knights who have been recognized with the league's weekly honor this season. She is the sixth Knight overall, joining Sanders, teammate Brittney Smith and former Knights Aliyah Gregory, Zykira Lewis and Kay Kay Wright as AAC Player of the Week honorees.
After Monday's afternoon contest with the Owls, UCF stays home to host Memphis on Feb. 5. The Knights will celebrate National Girls and Women In Sports Day at the 2 p.m. contest.
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