These women's basketball players posted big-time performances and were named to the NCAA.com starting five this week.
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Stanford senior forward Cameron Brink averaged 21.5 points, 20.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per game as the Cardinal closed out the regular season with a road sweep of the Oregon schools and gained momentum heading into the Pac-12 tournament as the top seed and regular season champion.
On Saturday, Brink had 18 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks as Stanford pulled away for a 76-56 win over Oregon. For Brink it was her 16th double-double of the year in helping Stanford improve to 9-2 in road games this season.
Brink opened up the week with 25 points and 24 rebounds in the 67-63 victory at No. 11 Oregon State on Feb. 29. She became the only player in the country with those numbers on the road against a ranked opponent since at least 1999-2000.
Winners of seven of the last eight games, Stanford, 26-4 overall and 15-3 in Pac-12 play, will return to action on March 7 in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament against the winner of the California-Washington State game.
Emma Hess, Liberty
Emma Hess averaged a team-high 20.5 points while grabbing 6.5 rebounds in Liberty’s two road wins over New Mexico State and UTEP last week, leading the Lady Flames to their ninth win in the last 10 games.
The junior guard scored 24 of her 26 points in the second half to help the Lady Flames a come-from-behind 60-56 win at New Mexico State on Feb. 29. Hess, who was held scoreless during Liberty's 69-53 home win over New Mexico State on Feb. 1, recorded the highest-scoring half by a Lady Flame since Nov. 20, 2006.
Hess followed that performance with 15 points and a season-high eight rebounds in Saturday’s 80-63 triumph at UTEP. The win was Liberty's season-best fifth straight, boosting the team's record back above .500 at 15-14 and keeps the Lady Flames in a second-place Conference USA tie with FIU at 10-4.
Liberty closes out the regular season this week by hosting Middle Tennessee on March 6, before traveling to Western Kentucky on March 9.
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Freshman Hannah Hidalgo led Notre Dame to wins over two ranked opponents, No. 5 Virginia Tech and No. 22 Louisville, averaging 24.5 points per game, grabbing 20 rebounds and producing nine steals.
On Sunday, Notre Dame avenged a loss earlier this season and downed Louisville, 74-58. Hidalgo led the way with 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and six steals. The win helped the Irish secure a double-bye for the upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Hidalgo paced Notre Dame with 23 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a 71-58 win over Virginia Tech on Feb. 29. The Irish led for 33:16 of the game and did not allow the Hokies to take a lead after 3:06 in the first quarter.
The ACC scoring leader, Hidalgo is pacing the conference with 23.8 points per game and the nation with 4.9 steals per game. She finished the ACC regular season with 24 20-point games, five more than anyone else in the league. Hidalgo is also the only player in the nation averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals every time she takes the court.
Notre Dame, 23-6 overall and 13-5 in the ACC, will next play in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament on March 8.
Temira Poindexter, Tulsa
Junior forward Temira Poindexter averaged 25.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in leading Tulsa to two big wins last week to move the Golden Hurricane into first place in the American Athletic Conference.
In a key road test at first-place Temple on March 28, Poindexter recorded her AAC-leading fifth game of 30-or-more points this season with 30 points resulting from 11-of-21 baskets from the field, including four 3-point field goals, while adding nine boards and two blocks on defense. The win moved Tulsa into a three-way tie for first place in the league with the Owls and the North Texas Mean Green.
In the home finale against SMU on Saturday, she led the Hurricane with 21 points and chipped in nine more rebounds and two blocks to help the Tulsa conclude their home slate with a 13-1 record, the best home finish in program history.
Tulsa, 22-8 overall and 12-5 in the AAC, can secure the AAC regular season title and No. 1 seed in the upcoming AAC tournament with a win at Tulane on March 5.
Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina
South Carolina sophomore Ashlyn Watkins averaged 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game off the bench in helping to lead the Gamecocks to wins last week over Arkansas and Tennessee, capping off a second-straight undefeated season.
At Arkansas on Feb. 9, Watkins posted a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double in just 21 minutes on the court. Her career-high 21 points came on 9-of-12 shooting and included 13 first-half points as South Carolina established a 16-point advantage by the break.
In the regular-season finale against Tennessee, Watkins scored eight of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, including six in the final 3:15 of the game as South Carolina hung on for the 76-68 victory. After the Lady Vols had pulled within five, Watkins answered with six straight points on a steal turned into a transition layup, a pair of free throws following her offensive rebound and a putback of her own missed shot to make it an 11-point game with 1:14 to play.
South Carolina, 29-0 overall and 16-0 in Southeastern Conference play, will return to action on March 8 at the SEC tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.
