Monday, December 28, 2009

MACON, Ga. – On Monday, the Atlantic Sun Conference announced its weekly women’s basketball award with Siarre Evans of ETSU winning her fifth league honor. The senior led the Lady Bucs to a 77-72 win against the Jacksonville Dolphins in the A-Sun Game of the Week, a rematch of the past two A-Sun Women’s Basketball Championship Finals.

Despite only playing at 70 percent strength, Preseason Atlantic Sun Player of the Year selection Siarre Evans stepped up when the Lady Bucs needed her most, helping guide ETSU to a conference victory against Jacksonville on Monday night inside the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center. Evans, who missed only her second career game on Thursday, December 17 at Appalachian State with a sore right knee, scored a team high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the five-point win against JU. The double-double marked Evans’ sixth straight on the year, as the Griffin, Ga. native averages an astonishing 20.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.2 steals during this run.

Evans helped ETSU secure the victory against Jacksonville by going a perfect 10-for-10 at the charity stripe, becoming only the fourth player in Lady Buccaneer history to make at least 10 consecutive free throws in a single game. In addition, the sport management major also moved past Regina Blair for fourth all-time on the ETSU rebounding charts, as Evans stands with 860 career boards.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Other Top Performers
Geami Britt, Campbell (Sr. - Forward - Campbellton, Fla. - Biology) – Britt tallied a season-high 18 points and five rebounds against Winthrop in Campbell’s only game of the Christmas week. The biology major checked off her 18th double-figure scoring game of her career, leading the Lady Camels' for the team-high 12th time in her two-year career. Britt's three field goals from distance also tied a career-high. The senior forward hit three shots from three point range twice last season.

Courtney Jackson, Jacksonville (Sr. - Guard - Atlanta, Ga. - Psychology) - Despite not starting, Jackson produced the best game of her career against ETSU. The Atlanta, Ga. native finished with career bests in points (24), rebounds (9), assists (5), steals (4) and blocks (2), during a five-point loss to the Lady Bucs. Jackson shot 10-of-20 from the floor, while finishing 2-for-4 from the three-point and free throw line in 34 minutes.

Chelsea Lyles, FGCU (Sr. - Forward - Colorado Springs, Colo. - Communications) – Lyles led FGCU to a 76-62 win against the FIU Golden Panthers to help the Eagles go into the new year with a 6-3 record. The senior forward finished the game with 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, 4-of-5 from long range, and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Lyles also added six assists, four rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes of action.