Ka-Deidre Simmons BIG EAST Player of the Week
11/24/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NEW YORK - After scoring a career-high 28 points to lead the Seton Hall University women's basketball team to a 75-70 victory at defending BIG 10 Champion Penn State University on Saturday night, graduate point guard Ka-Deidre Simmons (Newark, N.J.) has been named the BIG EAST Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week it was announced Monday by the league office.
Simmons, who was a Preseason All-BIG EAST selection for a second-straight season after being named First-Team All-Conference a year ago, is tabbed as the league's Player of the Week for the second time in her career; she also received the league recognition once last season.
In a statement-making win for The Hall at Penn State on Saturday night, Simmons delivered one of the most impressive performances of her already stellar career at Seton Hall, scoring 23 of her career-best 28 points in the second half to carry the Pirates their first win over Penn State in program history and the first victory over a Big 10 squad since 2007.
Seton Hall led 37-29 at the half, but withstood a Penn State surge to open the second thanks in large part to Simmons' scoring 13 of The Hall's first 15 points of the period. The Lady Lions twice took a one point lead, only to see Simmons answer with a bucket each time to put Seton Hall back in front.
In the process, Simmons eclipsed 1,200-career points and now sits in 11th place in program history with 1,201. She also tied for the team lead with five assists, moving into a tie for fourth-place all-time at Seton Hall with 389.
Of course, the game at Penn State was not her only standout performance of the week, as she nearly helped the Pirates pull off an upset at No. 17 West Virginia last Monday night, a tightly contested contest SHU lost just 89-87.
Simmons scored 20 points to go along with 10 assists in the tough road loss, turning in the third 10-plus assist game of her career while recording her fourth-career double-double.
So far this season, Simmons is averaging 20.7 points, 7.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She has scored in double figures in 32-straight games dating back to last season and recorded back-to-back 20-point performances for just the second time in her career.
Seton Hall will play three games during a busy Thanksgiving week, starting with a contest against Kennesaw State University on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 12 p.m.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Ka-Deidre Simmons - Seton Hall, G
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Alex Louin - Villanova, G
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Aliyyah Handford - St. John's, G
Arlesia Morse - Marquette, G
Megan Podkowa - DePaul, F
Tori Rule - Providence, G
Ijeoma Uchendu - Butler, F
