IRVING, Texas – FIU sophomore guard Alexis Gordon swiped the C-USA Women’s Basketball Player of the Week award after uncorking 40 points on Vermont to close out the calendar year for the Panthers.  North Texas guard Lauren Holmes logged her second double-double on the year with 19 points and 13 boards to claim an additional C-USA Freshman of the Week accolade. Earning an honor roll mention was UTEP senior forward Tamara Seda. The freshman enjoyed back-to-back double-doubles, scoring 20+ points in each outing. Awards are chosen by a vote from the league’s communications directors.
 
Player of the Week
Alexis Gordon, FIU
Sophomore, 5-8, G, Palm Bay, Florida
Gordon set a new FIU record with nine made three-point field goals in a game, and set a new career-high with 40 points as FIU defeated Vermont 80-70 Saturday at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center to finish the calendar year. The individual point total is the most by a Conference USA student-athlete this season, and the most for a Panther since Jerica Coley scored 42 in a Conference USA Tournament game against East Carolina in March of 2014. Gordon is the second FIU student-athlete to score 40 points at home in program history. Gordon is the seventh player in team history to reach 40 points and this is the 11th time the feat has been accomplished by a Panther. She also set career highs for three-point attempts, free throws made and attempted, adding her first block of the season. It is the first C-USA weekly award for Gordon this season and the third of her career (Nov. 28, 2016 and Jan. 16, 2017).  
 
Freshman of the Week
Lauren Holmes, North Texas
Freshman, 5-8, G, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Holmes recorded her second double-double this season with a game-high 19 points on eight made field goals and a season-high 13 rebounds against Oklahoma Panhandle State. She added five steals, two blocks and no turnovers to her stat line. It is the second weekly award in Holmes’ career.

 
C-USA Players of the Week
N13:      Tashia Brown, WKU
N20:     Shonte Hailes, Southern Miss
N27:     Erica Ogwumike, Rice
D4:       Erica Ogwumike, Rice
D11:      Talequia Hamilton, Marshall
D18:      Tashia Brown, WKU
D26:     Kristian Hudson, FIU
J2:        Alexis Gordon, FIU
 
C-USA Freshmen of the Week
N13:      Octavia Wilson, Charlotte
N20:     Raneem Elgedawy, WKU
N27:     Victoria Morris, Old Dominion
D4:       Raneem Elgedawy, WKU
D11:      Lauren Holmes, North Texas
D18:      Raneem Elgedawy, WKU
D26:     Victoria Morris, Old Dominion
J2:        Lauren Holmes, North Texas