Tennessee's Shekinna Stricklen and Cierra Burdick combined for a clean sweep of the SEC's weekly women's basketball honors.
Stricklen was named the player of the week. It was fifth time the senior forward has won the award during her career but the first time this season. Burdick, meanwhile, was honored as freshman of the week for the first time in her career.
Stricklen averaged 17.3 points and seven rebounds in three victories last week. The senior forward recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds against Mississippi State last Thursday, eclipsing 1,700 career points and 800 career rebounds in the process. Last Monday, she scored 18 points and shot 8-for-12 from the floor in a 91-54 rout of then-No. 7 Kentucky. She scored 12 points against Ole Miss on Sunday.
For the three games, Stricklen shot 53.8 percent from the floor (21 for 39), including 50 percent (3 for 6) on three pointers.
Burdick averaged 7.3 points and six rebounds. She was most productive during the two games in Mississippi. Against Mississippi State, she scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added three assists and two blocks. She had 10 points, six rebounds and two assists against Ole Miss, shooting 4 for 5 from the floor.
Tennessee (20-7, 11-3 SEC), which moved up three spots to No. 10 in the Associated Press' weekly top 25 poll, finishes the regular season with two games at Thompson-Boling Arena this week, beginning with Arkansas at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Holdsclaw To Speak: Lady Vols legend Chamique Holdsclaw will be speaking at the Big Orange Tipoff Club luncheon Wednesday at Calhoun's on the River.
It will be Holdsclaw's first appearance at the weekly gathering. The four-time All-American was the driving force this season behind a book of letters written by former UT players about coach Pat Summitt. Holdsclaw came up with idea while looking for a way to organize her thoughts and express herself after Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.
The buffet opens around 11:15 a.m. and the program begins at noon.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
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Comments » 13
maxvolfan#217855 writes:
Hadn't Stricklen have to play point guard for a whole season she might have got 2000 and 1000 for her career. Still a very special player for the Lady Vols . Good job Strick.
Cierra is going to be a special player. She has a good basketball IQ and I see her scoring at will really soon. She feels she's a scorer but said that she is a support player right now because "anyone on our team can score" , but I would like for her to take this team next year. She has Candace Parker "Swag" that will help her be confident about her game. She's unselfish, a good passer, shooter, and she is learning how to rebound well and play great defense. At 6'2 she can be a Glory Johnson with an awesome 15 foot jumpshot. Imagine her with GJ rebounding hustle. Scary!
SoddyVol writes:
Maxvol, you are right about Stricklen and Burdick. Stricklen quietly contributed more than most fans noticed. Playing point as much as she did last year, while helping the team, didn't help her development much at her present position. They both easily deserved the honors.
butch31 writes:
Magic Johnson never whined about playing point guard. Why should Shekinna? My opinion is this: STATS don't LIE! Shekinna's assists are down this year and rebounding. Cierra Burdick should know what is expected from her from now on, she is too talented to be on the bench. I'm not sure why she's responding so late. Next year's team will be a pleasant surprise. I hope this year's team take of business and win the final 4
SoddyVol writes:
butch, I never heard about any complaints coming from Stricklen. I would expect assists to be down from when she played the point. Rebounds haven't been too bad. The biggest complaint I might have about Stricklen is I think shes not playing as hard as she could all the time.
arkyvol writes:
absolutely agree. she had the potential to be one of the all timers. i wish she could have played when pat was on top of her game. motivation would not have been a problem then.
underthehill writes:
It's far too obvious that Burdick is a better all around basketball player than Simmons or Spani for her not to play more minutes..
8ball writes:
Agree also kw needs to start..
Mrlogic writes:
To me its a no brainer. Burdick and Massengale have the highest basketball IQ on the team. Burdick needs to be starting.
Jephry writes:
Well deserved for both players!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
We have all wondered why Shekinna has disappeared in so many games in her career, but with this team's scoring balance, she hasn't always gotten as many shots as she would have if the team was going to her all the time. Playing with a trigger-happy Simmons has also cut down on her shots. Whether or not she could have or should have worked harder to get the ball is another question. For all her talent, she seems curiously reluctant to embrace the spotlight.
As for Burdick, on a younger team she might have been a starter and bigger contributor earlier. She is not a naturally greedy scorer, she is an all-around player who realizes that there are more things a player can do to help a team win than just scoring. I'm sure her role will expand greatly next year.
Mrlogic writes:
Iam talking about straight basketball IQ. A pure understanding of the game. They are like the coach being out on the floor. One that comes to mind was Kelly Jolly. She wasn't the best player out there but she had the highest basketball IQ on that team. Simmon's has a lot of ability and could really help the team but she does not have a good understanding of the game of basketball. She does not play smart. Spani has a lot of leadership qualities and is very smart in school. But I don't think she has the basketball IQ of Burdick nor the ability.
maxvolfan#217855 writes:
I like Harrison too. Although she has no shot yet her defense is getting better. She needs to get in the gym and bulk up a bit like Glory and learn to be fearless under the basket like Glory. She will be fine. At this point I like Bass at the point because it seems Ariel lost confidence in her shot. Freshman wall. Bass plays better defense right now. We are hold opponents under 50 points a lot if Times with her in and less turnovers.
Call it "ludicrous" but here's my starting 5
Glory
Strick
Bass
Burdick
Williams
underthehill writes:
I'd take your starting team over starting Spani..who can do nothing on a college level other than shoot when she is open..now that they're playing zone ..Bass should be getting more minutes due to her better defense on the opposing point guard...and Burdick is among the 3 best players on the team..
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