Jan. 5, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky’s Victoria Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.) was named the Southeastern Conference’s Player of the Week after averaging a double-double with a team-high 15.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the Wildcats’ two wins last week, the league office in Birmingham, Ala., announced Monday.

The sophomore forward scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the 72-63 win over North Carolina A&T and followed that performance with 20 points and a career-high 15 boards against Miami Ohio. She is just the sixth player in school history to join the 20/15 club and the first to accomplish the feat since Jennifer Humphrey did it in an SEC Tournament first-round win against Arkansas in 2007. A force on defense, Dunlap also recorded a season-high 10 defensive rebounds, a career high-tying five steals and a season-high three blocks against N.C. A&T.

Dunlap, UK’s leader in points (12.4 points per game), blocks (16) and steals (29), has now scored in double-figures 10 times this season, including six in a row. The Wildcats are 13-5 when she scores in double digits and 3-0 when she has 20 points or more. She ranks tied for 15th in the SEC in scoring and is fifth in rebounding with 8.4 rebounds per game.

This is Dunlap’s fourth overall conference honor as she was named the SEC Freshman of the Week three times last season. However, it marks Kentucky’s first SEC Player of the Week since former Wildcat Sarah Elliott received the honor on Jan. 17, 2005.

Kentucky, which is riding a five-game winning streak, concluded non-conference play with a 10-5 record, a vast improvement from last year’s 6-8 mark heading into league play. The Wildcats travel to Knoxville, Tenn., Thursday, Jan. 8 to face No. 8 Tennessee in the SEC opener for both teams. Tip-off in Thompson-Boling Arena is slated for 7 p.m. EST and the game will be carried live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with Neil Price.