IRVINE, Calif. – Senior
Hunter Hernandez has been named the Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Week the conference office announced Monday afternoon.
Â
This is the first weekly honor for UC Irvine this season, and third career award for Hernandez after earning the recognition twice in 2022-23.
Â
Hernandez led UCI to its sixth-straight 2-0 start to Big West play. In Saturday's 72-46 win at CSUN, Hernandez went off for a career-high 31 points in 31 minutes. It was the first 30-point game by an Anteater since January 2021, and the second-highest individual scoring total in the Big West this season. She went 11-for-25 from the field (44%) and 8-of-9 at the free throw line (89%). The 5-foot-9 guard added eight rebounds, two steals, and one assist, while she did not commit a turnover against the Matadors.
Â
Two days earlier, Hernandez put up 16 points and four boards in a 77-40 victory at UC Riverside.
Â
For the week, Hernandez averaged 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. She shot 43% overall and 93% from the charity stripe.
Â
Hernandez leads the 'Eaters in scoring (15.7 ppg) and free throw percentage (88%) through 10 games this season.
