Jia Perkins Named Big 12 Player of the Week

Dec. 9, 2002

DALLAS - Texas Tech's Jia Perkins was named Big 12 Women's Basketball Player of the Week and Kansas' Aquanita Burras was selected Big 12 Rookie of the Week in a vote of a media panel, the conference office announced Monday.

Perkins, a 5-8 junior guard, led Texas Tech to a 98-70 victory over Creighton as she poured in a career-high 41 points and became just the fourth player in school and Big 12 history to score 40 or more points in a game. The 41 points is tied for sixth on Tech's all-time list and tied for second on the Big 12 list. The only other Big 12 players to register 40-plus points are Tech's Alicia Thompson (47 vs. Texas 2/5/97) , Baylor's Danielle Crockrom (41 vs. Texas A&M 1/20/01) and Oklahoma's Phylesha Whaley (40 vs. Arkansas 3/14/99). Perkins also recorded her first double-double of the year as she grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds. She tied her career high of six steals and added five assists. For the game, the Granbury, Texas, native shot 56.7 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the charity stripe. Perkins currently leads the team in scoring with a 22.3 average and has a team-high 13 steals. She is shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free throw line.

Sophomore transfer Aquanita Burras picked up Holiday Inn Jayhawk Classic MVP honors after leading Kansas to a second place finish in the tournament. The 5-9 guard from Fairbanks, Alaska, led KU in scoring as she poured in 18 points vs Texas Southern before topping that the next night with 19 points against Western Illinois. With the help of Burras, Kansas is out to a 4-1 start. She was deadly from long range as she connected on 5-of-7 from the three-point line over the weekend. Burras also collected 11 assists and blocked two shots. For the season, she leads the team at 15.2 points per game on 50 percent shooting and averages 6.0 rebounds per game. She is first on the team with 16 steals and second on the team with five blocks.

Big 12 Player of the WeekNov. 25 -- Kendra Wecker, Kansas StateDec. 2 -- Nicole Ohlde, Kansas StateDec. 9 -- Jia Perkins, Texas Tech
Big 12 Rookie of the WeekNov. 25 -- Erin Grant, Texas TechDec. 2 -- Maria Villarroel, OklahomaDec. 9 -- Aquanita Burras, Kansas

Texas Tech University Athletics

Jia Perkins Named Big 12 Player of the Week

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