Dec. 21, 2009

RUSTON - Louisiana Tech senior forward Shanavia Dowdell has been named the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 14-20. This is the first WAC Player of the Week honor of the season for Dowdell and the fifth of her career.

Dowdell, a Calera, Ala. native, scored 18 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, recorded a career-high three assists and added two blocks and one steal in 28 minutes in Louisiana Tech's 94-61 win over McNeese State. Dowdell shot 80 percent from the field (8-of-10) and notched her fourth double-double of the season in the victory.

Dowdell tied a LA Tech program record last year by earning four WAC Player of the Week honors, tying former Techster guard Tasha Williams who set the record in 2005-06.

Other nominees included: Boise State's Jessica Van Hoogen finished with a game-high 19 points in the Broncos' victory over Santa Clara ... LaShay Fears of Fresno State had 14 points and three assists against No. 23 West Virginia ... Nevada's Shavon Moore posted her third double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. Pepperdine ... Madison Spence of New Mexico State scored a season-high 22 points in a win over UTEP and averaged 17.0 as the Aggies went 1-1 on the week ... San Jose State's Sayja Sumler finished with a career-high 19 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and a team-high five assists in an overtime win over Sacramento State ... Amber White of Utah State averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds as the Aggies went 1-1 on the week.