Coates Earns Second SEC Player of the Week Nod

Nov. 29, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. ââ’¬” For the second time in as many weeks, South Carolina senior forward Alaina Coates was named SEC Player of the Week, the league announced today. The Irmo, S.C., native led the offense in both games last week and continues to average a double-double on the season.

Coates’ effort both in the box score and in intangibles powered the No. 3/3 Gamecocks to a commanding 83-59 win over No. 4/4 Louisville on Sunday in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge. In addition to her 17-point, 14-rebound double-double, she matched her career high with four steals. Three of those came in six minutes of the second quarter, during which the Gamecocks held the Cardinals to just nine points. Her eight rebounds in the third quarter kept the Cardinals from mounting any comeback from their eight-point halftime deficit. In South Carolina’s home game against Saint Peter’s, Coates needed just 19 minutes to post 16 points and seven rebounds.

For the season, Coates averages 16.6 points and 12.8 rebounds to rank tied for seventh and tied for first in the SEC, respectively. Her .729 field goal percentage leads the league by a wide margin and ranks second in the nation. She has four double-doubles through five games to rank sixth in the nation, and her rebounding average is third.

The Gamecocks continue a challenging road stretch this week, traveling to No. 14/14 Texas for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Thu., Dec. 1, on ESPN2 as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. South Carolina also heads to Duke on Sun., Dec. 4, before returning to Colonial Life Arena on Sun., Dec. 11, to host Minnesota.