Coates Ties SEC Record with Fifth Freshman of the Week Honor

March 3, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina center Alaina Coates (Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork) earned her league-record tying fifth SEC Freshman of the Week selection of the season, the league office announced today. Her selection makes her the Gamecock freshman most honored with the award as well.

Coates helped South Carolina clinch its first SEC regular-season championship in a win on Thursday night over Georgia. The Irmo, S.C., native was second on the team with 18 points against the Lady Bulldogs, including seven straight after Georgia had cut the lead to single digits midway through the second half. In Sunday’s loss at Tennessee, she pulled in eight rebounds, blocked three shots and handed out a pair of assists, showing good vision out of the Lady Vols’ double-teams.

South Carolina earned the top seed in this week’s SEC Tournament and will play the winner of Thursday’s Georgia/Vanderbilt game at noon on Fri., March 7, at The Arena at Gwinnett Center. The game will air live on SportSouth. The semifinal on the Gamecocks’ side of the bracket is slated for noon on Saturday on ESPNU with the championship game scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.