BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — University of Tennessee women’s basketball standout Anastasia Hayes has been chosen as the SEC Freshman of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday.
Hayes is the third UT freshman to be so honored this season, following Rennia Davis (Nov. 12) and Evina Westbrook (Dec. 26).
The reserve guard came off the bench and provided the #11/13 Lady Vols with a second-half boost toward victories over #14/12 Texas A&M and Vanderbilt last week. She averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals as Tennessee improved to 19-4 on the season and 7-3 in SEC play.
The native of Murfreesboro, Tenn., now has scored in double figures in three of her past four games after enduring a stretch of only one game in double figures in her previous seven.
Against the Aggies, Hayes helped UT avenge a loss earlier this season at College Station by entering the game and providing 16 points on six-of-nine shooting from the field. Having hit only five three-pointers on the season, she connected on two of three vs. A&M and added a pair of free throws to key the crucial victory. Nine of Hayes’ points came in the decisive second half, when she also grabbed four of her career-high five steals as Tennessee used a 25-8 blitz in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
At Vandy on Sunday, Hayes filled the stat sheet and did the dirty work necessary for the Lady Vols to escape with their fifth road win of the season in eight tries. She was again clutch down the stretch, scoring seven of her 10 points in the final frame and finishing with an SEC-high six rebounds and four steals to help UT pull away in the final five minutes.
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