Jan. 5, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the third time this season, South Carolina guard/forward A’ja Wilson has earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors, the league office announced today. Wilson led the team by averaging a double-double with 16.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in her first week of league play.

After scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in her SEC debut against Auburn, Wilson followed up the effort by netting 21 points and collecting a career-high 13 rebounds in her first road SEC game at LSU. She has recorded three-straight double-doubles and has notched four on the season.

Against Auburn, the freshman asserted herself in the second half, scoring eight of her 12 points after the break to hold off the surging Tigers.

After LSU pulled within single digits at the end of the first half on Sunday, Wilson scored three of the team’s last six points before the break to send the Gamecocks to the locker room with a 15-point advantage. The freshman also matched a career best with three blocks against the Lady Tigers.

The versatile player has posted double-digit scoring performances in the last 13 contests and is the team’s top scorer with 14.5 points per game. Averaging 7.2 rebounds per game, she ranks second on the team. The Heathwood Hall product also leads the Gamecocks with 22 blocks and her 22 steals is third best.

No. 1/1 South Carolina closes out its two-game road swing at Alabama on Thu., Jan. 8, before coming back to Colonial Life Arena for a 1 p.m. tipoff against #11/11 Kentucky on Sun., Jan. 11.