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Rice University Athletics
Berezhynska Earns C-USA Player of the Week
11/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2007
IRVING - Valeriya Berezhynska was picked as Conference USA Player of the Week Monday afternoon as announced by the league's office. It was Berezhynska's first career C-USA weekly award. The senior center was one of five players chosen to the league's 2007 All-Tournament Team.
Berezhynska headlined the Owls to a 3-0 weekend and the Winthrop Adidas Classic crown after averaging 26.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She earned Tournament MVP honors, shooting 54.5 percent from the floor in addition to a 72.7 clip from the foul line.
"We're pleased that Valeriya was able to earn this award," head coach Greg Williams said. "She was a deserving candidate and put together two great performances in close games after entering the weekend questionable to play."
After sitting out the season-opener against Navy, Berezhynska returned to the lineup to put home 22 points in 22 minutes of action against North Texas. The Owls stormed back from a 63-57 deficit against the Mean Green with 8:07 remaining in the game.
Rice finished the second half by scoring 12 of the game's final 14 points. Playing with four fouls down the stretch, Berezhynska put Rice on her back, pouring in eight points during the run.
The Ukraine native saved her best effort for the tournament finale and matched her career-high with 31 points against the host Winthrop. She added 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double in her last eight outings dating back to last season.
Rice fought back from a 47-37 deficit with 7:33 left in the second half. At 51-48 with 2:28 to go, Berezhynska hit two critical free throws along with clutch three-pointer on the right baseline with 20 seconds left to tie the score and force overtime.
Berezhynska added five of Rice's 11 points in the overtime frame as the Owls emerged with a 63-54 triumph and started the season 3-0 for the second consecutive season.
"We limited Val's minutes against North Texas because she hadn't practiced for two weeks," Williams said. "Before the game on Sunday, our trainer Dawn Stuckey told us she was good to go for as long as we needed her. She ended up playing 40 minutes. That's a credit to her hard work she put in during the offseason after not practicing for two weeks."
Rice returns to the road and faces Cal State Northridge Friday at 9pm CT. All of the action from Los Angeles will be live on KTRU 91.7 FM.
