Dec. 16, 2013

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s basketball freshman guard Linnae Harper was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, it was announced on Monday. It marks the third consecutive week in which a Wildcat has earned SEC weekly honors.

Senior forward DeNesha Stallworth (Richmond, Calif.) and junior point guard Jennifer O’Neill (Bronx, N.Y.) earned SEC Player of the Week honors in each of the last two weeks. Harper becomes the first Wildcat to be named SEC Freshman of the Week since Bria Goss (Indianapolis) earned the honor four times during the 2011-12 season.

Harper, who collects her first SEC Freshman of the Week honor, helped lead the No. 5/6 Wildcats to wins at DePaul (96-85) and vs. East Tennessee State (73-56) by averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game, while shooting 80 percent (12-of-15) from the field during the two games.

The Chicago native, returned to the Windy City on Thursday vs. DePaul and dropped a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Harper also set career highs in minutes played (18), defensive rebounds (4), field goals (7), free-throws made (4) and free-throws attempted (5). She was a key player off the bench, as she helped UK erase an 11-point deficit in the first half.

Against ETSU, Harper scored all 10 of her points in the first half on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor. She also set a career high with two steals, while playing a career-high 19 minutes.

For the season, Harper is averaging 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game and shooting 50 percent (33-of-66) from the field. She has recorded double figures in five games this season.

UK returns to the court next Sunday, Dec. 22 for the Wildcats’ annual “Pack the House” game vs. No. 2 Duke in Rupp Arena at 3 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on the UK IMG TV Network and Fox Sports South.

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