Feb. 17, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s basketball junior point guard Jennifer O’Neill was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, it was announced on Monday. It marks the fourth SEC weekly honor for a Wildcat this season.
O’Neill, who collects her second SEC Player of the Week honor this season, led Kentucky (19-6, 7-5) to a pair of wins during the week, beginning with a home win vs. Ole Miss (108-78) and a huge road win at No. 8 Tennessee, 75-71. O’Neill averaged a team-high 25.5 points in the two games, along with 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while shooting 51.6 percent (16-of-31) from the field and 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from 3-point range.
The Bronx, N.Y., native led the charge in Kentucky’s 30-point win vs. Ole Miss and former UK assistant coach Matt Insell. O’Neill poured in 19 of her team-high 27 points in the second half, as the Wildcats pulled away from the Rebels. She finished 8-of-15 from the field, 5-of-7 from 3-point range and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Her five made 3-pointers tied a career best. O’Neill also pulled down four boards and dished four assists.
In UK’s historic win at Tennessee on Sunday, O’Neill scored a game-high 24 points in helping the Wildcats record their first ever win at Thompson-Boling Arena and first win in Knoxville since 1985. With UK trailing, 69-68, with under three minutes to go, O’Neill scored six straight points to give the Wildcats a 72-69 lead and UK would not trail again.
O’Neill has now scored 20-plus points in the three consecutive games, becoming the first UK player to do so since A’dia Mathies vs. Arkansas on Jan. 5, 2012 (21), vs. Mississippi State on Jan. 8, 2012 (20) and Tennessee on Jan. 12, 2012 (34).
For the season, O’Neill leads the Wildcats in scoring (13.4), field goals made (107), 3-pointers made (43) and ranks second in assists (3.0). She leads the team with 18 double-figure scoring games this season. When O’Neill scores 10 or more points in a game, Kentucky is 16-2 this season.
The No. 18 Wildcats continue their tough slate on Thursday, Feb. 20, when UK plays host to No. 5 South Carolina at 7 p.m. ET. Kentucky will look to avenge a 68-59 loss to the Gamecocks back on Jan. 9 in Columbia, S.C. The game will be televised live on the UK IMG Sports Network and Fox Sports South.
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