Jones Named Big South Freshman Of The Week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BigSouthSports.com) – Charleston Southern's Rachelle Coward has been named the Big South Conference Women's Basketball Choice Hotels Player of the Week, while Shonese Jones from UNC Asheville was tabbed The Crons Brand Freshman of the Week for games played Dec. 20-Jan. 2, the League announced today.

Jones, a freshman from Etowah, N.C., posted 19 points per game and pulled down 20 rebounds to help her squad to a 2-2 record over the Christmas break. She got her week going with 20 points and three rebounds in the win over Mercer on Dec. 21 and followed that effort with 13 points, four boards and five assists in the 74-62 win over Brevard seven days later. On Dec. 31, the guard put in 19 points and corralled eight rebounds for the blue and white against High Point and closed out her break with 24 points and five rebounds at Campbell on Jan. 2. Jones was hot from the charity stripe as she connected on 19-of-20 of her attempts to finish with a 95 percent clip. The honor marks her first Freshman of the Week nod this season as she was named the League's Player of the Week on Dec. 20.

Coward, a red-shirt junior from Nova Scotia, averaged 21 points per game and shot 49 percent from the floor to lead her squad to a 3-1 record over the Christmas break, including a 2-0 mark in Big South play. The forward put in a career-high 30 points on 59 percent shooting in the win over Maine on Dec. 21 and matched that performance with 30 points on 64 percent from the field in the 83-78 win over Winthrop on Jan. 2. She got her break started with 21 points against Florida on Dec. 20. In the four game span, Coward collected 20 rebounds, dished out four assists and came away with three steals. The honor marks her first Big South Player of the Week nod of her career.

Also nominated for women's basketball Player of the Week for Week 7: Tonisha Baker (Campbell), Olivia Irick (Coastal Carolina), Shamia Brown (High Point), Avery Warley (Liberty), Mariah Pietrowski (Presbyterian College), Ashley Buchannon (Radford) and Dequesha McClanahan (Winthrop).

Also nominated for women's basketball Freshman of the Week for Week 7: Shatia Cole (Coastal Carolina) and Reagan Miller (Liberty).