Naughton Named Big East Player of the Week

Providence, R.I. – Following a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double to lead DePaul over #11/11 West Virginia, DePaul’s Deirdre Naughton has been named BIG EAST Player of the Week. Connecticut freshman Maya Moore has been named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. Moore surpasses former Connecticut standout Rebecca Lobo (1991-92) for all-time Freshman of the Week honors at eight.

Last week, Moore averaged a team-best 19.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in UConn’s wins over Georgetown (80-48) on Feb. 12 and No. 18/18 Pittsburgh (90-64) on Feb. 17. The freshman forward shot 65.4 percent (17-of-26) from the field and made 4-of-7 attempts from 3-point range. Moore tallied 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting and nine rebounds at home versus Georgetown. She then registered 14 points, and while playing just 21 minutes at Pittsburgh, she shot 7-of-11 from the field. Moore has extended her UConn record of consecutive double-figure scoring games to start a career to 25.

Naughton totaled 24 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, one turnover and one steal in DePaul’s 81-80 upset at No. 11/11 West Virginia in front of a WVU Coliseum record crowd of 8,307 on Feb. 17. The sophomore guard went 7-of-14 from the field, 5-of-6 from the foul line and tied a career-best 5-of-8 mark from three-point range. With DePaul trailing by three, Naughton hit her fourth three-pointer of the game to tie the score at 67-67 with 5:24 remaining. After a WVU basket, she drilled her fifth trey at 4:22 to put the Blue Demons ahead 70-69, a lead they would not relinquish.

The BIG EAST honor is the first for Naughton after she garnered ACC Rookie of the Week recognition twice as a freshman at Wake Forest during the 2005-06 season. Her BIG EAST weekly honor is the second for the Blue Demons this season as Allie Quigley was named Player of the Week in December. The two players also marked the first time in three seasons that multiple players have earned the weekly BIG EAST honor in a season for DePaul. Khara Smith was Player of the Week on two occasions during the 2005-06 season.

DePaul travels to Georgetown on Wednesday night for a BIG EAST game before returning to McGrath Arena on Sunday against Notre Dame. For tickets to the Notre Dame game and the home finale against Connecticut on Mar. 1, contact the DePaul Ticket Office at (773) 325-SLAM.

BIG EAST Player of the Week

Deirdre Naughton, So., G, DePaul (Winnetka, Ill.)

BIG EAST Freshman of the Week

Maya Moore, Fr., F, Connecticut (Lawrenceville, Ga.)

BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

Charel Allen, Sr., G, Notre Dame (Monessen, Pa.)

2-0, 17.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 spg, 60.9 FG%, 13 pts. & four rebs. vs. Marquette, 22 pts., 12 rebs., 2 steals vs. Syracuse

Candyce Bingham, Jr., F, Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)

2-0, 21 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 72.0 FG% (18-of-25), 66.7 FT%, 25 pts. & 10 rebs. vs. St. John’s, 17 pts. vs. Georgetown

Tina Charles, So. C, Connecticut (Jamaica, N.Y.)

2-0, 15.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 52.0 FG%, 16 pts. & 12 rebs. vs. Pitt, 19 pts. & eight rebs. vs. Georgetown

Shantia Grace, Jr., G, USF (Sarasota, Fla.)

0-1 vs. Rutgers, 30 points, 40 minutes, 8-of-15 FG, 9-of-10 FT, 5-of-7 3FG

Laura Kurz, Jr., F, Villanova (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.)

2-0, 29.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 62.8 FG%, 10-of-16 3FG, 4-of-4 FT, 33 pts. vs. Providence, 25 pts. vs. Cincinnati