GNAC Women's Basketball Report: Week 14

( FOR THE WEEK OF FEB. 11-17; FINAL 2018-19 REPORT )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Rah Rah Thompson, Albertus Magnus (Jr., C/F - Bridgeport, Conn.) Thompson averaged 24.0 points, 23.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks in a 2-0 week for Albertus, which nailed down the No. 3 seed in the GNAC Tournament following a crucial 68-62 home win over Suffolk in Saturday's regular-season finale. With the monster week, in which she shot 52.6% (20-38 FG) from the floor, she extended her double-double count to 18 on the year. She opened the week by filling it up for 22 points, 22 rebounds (nine offensive) and three steals in a win over No. 8 seed JWU before erupting for a season-high 26 points, 25 rebounds (12 offensive) and three blocks in the vital victory over No. 4 seed Suffolk. The Falcons will welcome sixth-seeded Regis to New Haven on Tuesday night in the GNAC Quarterfinals.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Cheyenne-Mone Smith, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Fr., G/F - Wethersfield, Conn.) Smith averaged 15.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.0 steals and 3.0 assists in a two-game week for USJ. The three-time GNAC Rookie of the Week opened the final week of play with a huge game exploding for 18 points and a career-high 20 rebounds Wednesday versus Lasell to post her third double-double of the year. She also added eight steals, three assists and two blocks against the Lasers. She followed that up with 13 points, six rebounds, two steals, three assists, and two blocks in USJ's finale versus Regis at home on Saturday. On the week, Smith shot 40.0% (14-35) from the field and was 50.0% (3-6) from the FT line.

WEEK 14 HONOR ROLL
Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr, G - Cambridge, Mass.) - The junior closed out the regular season by averaging 25.0 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 69% (20-29 FG) overall and 10-of-10 from the FT line in a 2-0 week for the Saints. Ramirez-Tejeda scored a game-high 26 points with 11 boards in a key road victory over city rival Suffolk to cement the No. 2 seed in the GNAC Tournament. She followed it up with a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds (six offensive) in just 23 minutes as the Saints rolled to a 77-50 home win in their season-finale versus Colby-Sawyer, which Emmanuel will play again on Tuesday in the GNAC Quarterfinals. 

Katryna Veasey, Regis (Mass.) (Jr., F - Quincy, Mass.) - Veaseyaveraged 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 52.6% (10-19 FG) and 8-of-11 at the FT line. Wednesday, she shot 7-of-13 on her way to lead the team with 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Saturday, she hit 3-of-6 shots from the field and 5-of-6 shots from the free throw line for 11 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Veasey enters the GNAC Tournament as the Pride's leading scorer (11 PPG) and one of the team's top rebounders at 7.0 boards per game.

Kaylee Kacavas, Rivier (Sr, G - Dracut, Mass.) - After averaging 29.0 points (43/30/89%), 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in the final week of her impressive collegiate career, Kacavas finishes the 2018-19 regular season as the top scorer in NCAA Division III Women's Basketball (26.7 PPG). The Raiders went 1-1 to close out their season, as the senior had 28 points, three rebounds, and five steals in a 61-55 loss to Fisher before pouring in 30 with the help of a 14-of-15 effort from the FT line to go with six boards and four assists in a 64-53 road loss against Norwich. 

Julia Champagne, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Senior, Guard - Brunswick, Maine) - Champagne was an all-around contributor in a pair of conference wins last week, as the senior guard averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.0 assists while shooting 73.3% (11-15) from the floor, 60% (6-10) from downtown, and 70% (7-10) from the FT line. She made 8 of 10 attempts from the field - including a 4-for-6 three-point shooting effort - in just 26 minutes versus Lasell to help the Monks post a convincing 90-48 win and register the first perfect (25-0) season in program and GNAC Women's Basketball history.

Cassandra Stapelfeld, Simmons (So, G - Brookline, N.H.) - In two games, the sophomore averaged 22.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 44/36/75% overall. The guard netted at least 20 points in both games and began the week with 20 points, three rebounds and three assists at Regis (Mass.) on February 13. Stapelfeld was brilliant in a second half comeback for the Sharks, scoring 12 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to help Simmons come back to beat visiting JWU on Saturday. She was 4-7 from three-point range and added five rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Jenni-Rose DiCecco, Suffolk (So., G - Falmouth, Mass.) - DiCecco averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists while playing all 80 minutes in the Rams' two-game week to cleos out the regular season. 

Triple slash shooting % = FG/3PT/FT 

GNAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY ARCHIVE (2018-19)