Monday, February 18, 2008

TUSCULUM’S STEPHANY NEPTUNE NAMED SAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College’s Stephany Neptune has been named the South Atlantic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, league officials announced Monday.

Neptune, a sophomore forward, averaged a double-double to lead the league-leading Tusculum Pioneers to a pair of South Atlantic Conference wins last week. Neptune averaged 12 points and 17.5 rebounds per game as the Pioneers took over sole possession of first place in the league. Tusculum is now 21-3 overall and 11-1 in South Atlantic Conference action.

In Tusculum’s 92-79 home win over Wingate, Neptune tied a school single-game record with 23 rebounds. That rebound tally is also tied for fifth most in South Atlantic Conference history. The Wallkill, N.Y. native also tied a school single-game mark with six blocked shots, to go along with her 12 points. With the victory, the Pioneers avenged their only SAC loss of the year and ended an 11-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.

She added 12 points and 12 boards in Tusculum’s 69-51 road win at Carson-Newman. Neptune contributed two assists and four steals in TC’s first win at Holt Fieldhouse in over 15 years.

Neptune leads the SAC in rebounding, averaging 10.6 boards per game. The Pioneers have clinched a 20-win season for the first time in over a decade and have won 17 of their last 18 games. TC hosts Newberry (16-7, 6-5 SAC) Wednesday night and Brevard (8-15) on Saturday evening. A Tusculum win in the Newberry game would clinch at least a share of the regular season title for the Pioneers.

The win is Neptune’s first career Player of the Week award. She is the third Tusculum player to win the award this season, with Jasmine Gunn’s three wins earlier this year and Ashli Oliver’s win last week. A TC player has won the award for the last three weeks and in five of the last six weeks.

- SAC -