The following is a press release from the Big 12 Conference:
Iowa State’s Ashley Joens was voted Big 12 Women’s Basketball Player of the Week and Texas Tech’s Rhyle McKinney was selected as Freshman of the Week for the games ending November 21, as selected by a five-person media panel.
Joens averaged 21.3 points and 7.3 rebounds during the Cyclones’ 3-0 week that included back-to-back wins over 2021 postseason squads. Jones’ successful week was headlined by a 31-point, 10-rebound performance with five 3-pointers in a 98-76 win at 2021 WNIT participant Drake Thursday, as Iowa State earned its first road win in the series since 2013. The senior scored 17 points with eight rebounds in Iowa State’s 75-56 win against 2021 NCAA Tournament participant South Dakota State on Nov. 15. Joens capped her week Sunday with 16 points on only six field goal attempts in the 96-55 victory over Southern. It is Joens’ 10th career Player of the Week selection, moving her into sole possession of fourth in Conference history, breaking a tie with Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Kelsey Griffin (Nebraska).
McKinney earned her first Big 12 Freshman of the Week honor by averaging 17.5 points off 41.7 percent 3-point shooting and making all eight of her free throws. She was the game’s leading scorer last Tuesday in the 62-44 win at Weber State, scoring a career-high 21 points in just 24 minutes of game time. She followed up that performance with 14 points in the Lady Raiders’ 72-68 overtime win against Lamar, including the overtime bucket that put Texas Tech up for good.
Big 12 Player of the Week
Nov. 15 – Ayoka Lee, K-State, C, Jr.
Nov. 22 – Ashley Joens, Iowa State, G/F, Sr.
Big 12 Freshman of the Week
Nov. 15 – Rori Harmon, Texas, G
Nov. 22 – Rhyle McKinney, Texas Tech, G
