Baylor WBB’s Smith Earns Weekly Big 12 Honor; Lady Bears Remain No. 4 in AP Top 25

WACO, Texas – The Big 12 Conference announced its first weekly awards of the 2018-19 women’s basketball season Monday, and Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith was named co-Freshman of the Week along with Oklahoma’s Taylor Robertson.

West Virginia’s Naomi Davenport earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors after posting a triple double in the Mountaineers’ season-opening victory over Coppin State.

Smith averaged 15.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest in Baylor’s three wins vs. Nicholls, Saint Francis and at No. 23 Arizona State. She averaged a double-double all while shooting .636 from the field. In a game Sunday where the Lady Bears were off to a slow start and trailed by 11 at half, Smith was one of the primary reasons the game did not get out of reach, scoring 10 of her 16 points in the first half, and she finished the game with 11 rebounds. The Converse, Texas native has two double-doubles on the season and has scored in double figures all three games to start her college career.

Robertson had 24 points, all on eight 3-point field goals, and she grabbed six rebounds for OU in a win over Western Kentucky in the Sooners’ only game of the week.

The AP Top 25 released its week one poll Monday, and Baylor maintained its No. 4 ranking with Notre Dame, UConn and Oregon taking the top three spots. The Big 12 was also represented in the poll with Texas at 11 and West Virginia receiving the most votes outside the Top 25.

Baylor (3-0) continues its season Thursday at the Ferrell Center when it takes on Southern University at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest.

Associated Press Week 1 Top 25