Freshman Amanda Zahui earns Big Ten honors for the second time this season
By Frank Bi
Redshirt freshman center Amanda Zahui was named the Big Ten’s Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week for the second time this season in a week in which she averaged 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.
Her performance led the Gophers to two victories on the week, including wins over Miami in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge last Thursday, and a win over North Dakota at Williams Arena on Sunday.
"Zahui connected on all seven of her attempts from the field in a win over the Hurricanes, totaling 18 points, seven boards and three blocks in the seven-point victory, before accounting for more than half of the Gophers’ points in the come-from-behind win over North Dakota Sunday. She finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks to post her fifth double-double of the year in the 46-44 win.The center currently leads the Big Ten in rebounds (11.2) and blocked shots (2.9), while ranking in the top-10 in field goal percentage (.524). She is one of only four players in the nation to record a triple-double this season and entered the week ranked 13th in the NCAA in rebounds, 20th in blocked shots and 21st in double-doubles."
A native of Sweden, Zahui is quickly becoming the best center the Gopher women’s basketball team has had since Janel McCarville. Zahui’s triple-double recorded in a win over Kansas earlier this season was the first triple-double since McCarville last pulled off the feat in 2004.
Zahui was Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week just two weeks ago in the week in which Minnesota notched wins over the Jayhawks and Loyola.
The Gophers will get a week off before taking on UCLA at Williams Arena on Dec. 20 in the Subway Classic.