Akhator Named CollegeSportsMadness.com’s SEC Player of the Week

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After earning her 20th career double-double against Washington State, including two clutch free throws in the final minute of the game to clinch the win, University of Kentucky senior post Evelyn Akhator has been named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week by CollegeSportsMadness.com. 

This is the second weekly honor for Akhator from CollegeSportsMadness.com, which named her the National and SEC Player of the Week after the first weekend of the regular season. Akhator earned the early season honor after posting back-to-back double-doubles against highly ranked Miami and America East Conference power Albany. 

In Kentucky’s lone game last week, Akhator helped the Wildcats close out their home non-conference schedule with a victory over Washington State. The senior went 5-of-11 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free throw line to post 19 points. Akhator paced Kentucky with 13 rebounds, earning her seventh double-double of the season and 20th of her career to move into the top five in program history in career double-doubles. 

With the game tied under a minute to go, Akhator hit two clutch free throws to give Kentucky a 69-67 lead it would not relinquish.  The senior also had one assist, one block and three steals in the game. Her 9-of-12 mark from the free throw line tied a career-high for free throws made. 

On the season, Akhator is averaging 14.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. The native of Lagos, Nigeria has scored in double figures in 10 games and has 10 or more rebounds in eight games. Akhator currently ranks top 25 nationally and top three in the conference in total rebounds and rebounds per game. 

For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, or Kentucky Women’s Basketball on Facebook.