GNAC Women's Basketball Report: Week 8

( FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 2 - 8 )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Jakara Murray-Leach, Albertus Magnus (So., G/F - Norwalk, Conn.) - Murray-Leach paced the Falcons in a 3-0 week with 21.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 steals, and 3.0 blocks across three GNAC contests. The sophomore shot 42.9% (30-70 FG) overall from the floor, including 53.8% (28-52) on two-points attempts. Murray-Leach opened the week with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six steals in a 63-48 home win over Colby-Sawyer on Tuesday. She added 22 points, six rebounds, six blocks, and two steals to her total in a 71-58 home victory over Regis (Mass.) on Thursday, before the five-time GNAC Player of the Week capped off the Falcons' three-game stretch with 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds against Anna Maria on Saturday in an 82-59 win.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Angelina Giordano, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Fr, G - Chicago, Ill.) - The reigning GNAC Rookie of the Week averaged 13.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 4.0 steals in a 2-0 week for the Saints, highlighted by a career-high 21 points in EC's GNAC win over Norwich on Saturday. Averaging just 23.5 minutes per game, the first-year went 8-of-11 from the field while adding a career-high seven steals. In a blowout over Dean on Thursday, she finished with six points, four boards and a career-high 10 assists.

GNAC HONOR ROLL

Elyza Mitchell, Colby-Sawyer (Fr, F - Spofford, N.H.) - Mitchell had an impressive week for the Chargers, averaging 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds, while also shooting 58.1% from the floor. Mitchell capped off the week with a career-high 24 point performance to go with seven rebounds. 

Kayla Jackson, Elms (First Year, F - Saugus, Mass.) - Jackson averaged 12.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in a 1-2 week, registering at least 11 points and eight rebounds in each contest.

Maren McGinn, Norwich (So, F - Georgia, Vt.) - McGinn averaged 20.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in a 2-1 week for the Cadets, shooting a dominant 69.4% (25-36) overall shooting and 12-of-16) from the FT line. She opened the week with 14 points in a 72-15 win at Dean, before posting a career-high 29 points on an efficient 13-of-17 clip in a come-from-behind win at Elms, 62-57. The sophomore followed that up with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double against rival Emmanuel, going 6-of-8 from the floor and 7-10 on freebies. 

Pam Gonzalez, Regis (Mass.) (Sr., G - Revere, Mass.) - Gonzalez shot 50/46/80% on her way to averaging 20.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game against three of the top teams in the GNAC, as the Pride went 1-2. On Tuesday at Rivier, in a battle of two teams undefeated in league play, she shot 8-for-15 from the field and made all five of her FT attempts to finish with 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and four steals in an 83-74 victory. On Thursday night at GNAC South leader Albertus Magnus, she played all 40 minutes and registered with 25 points and 15 rebounds. She closed the week on Saturday against USJ with 12 points, six rebounds, and six steals in a defensive battle. 

Jordan Ouellette, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Jr., G/F - Bristol, Conn.) - Oullette led the Blue Jays to a 3-0 week, averaging a double-double with 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals. She shot 51.2% (22-34) overall, dropping 15 points with 11 rebounds in a 53-55 win over Johnson & Wales before tallying 20 points and a career-high 16 boards to lead USJ past Regis. She was also called upon for just 22 minutes (11 PTS, 7 REB) in an 8445 blowout over Lasell.

Angelica Hurley, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Junior, G - Groveland, Mass.) - While averaging just 23.5 minutes of playing time in a pair of lopsided GNAC victories, Hurley posted 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 56.3% (9-16) overall and 60.0% (6-10) from downtown last week. The junior guard made 5-of-6 three-point attempts with 20 points, 11 boards, six assists, three steals, and three blocks in an 86-51 triumph over Rivier on Saturday.