James Named Player Of The Week

BASKETBALL

Georgia's Jasmine James was named SEC Player of the Week by the league office in Birmingham on Monday after averaging 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals during a trio of Lady Dawg victories during the previous seven days.

James, a 5-9, junior guard from Memphis, Tennessee, scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor in Georgia's 68-49 win over Georgia Southern on Nov. 15. On Nov. 17, she flirted with a triple-double with game-high tallies of 17 points, seven assists and six steals – while also grabbing eight rebounds – in a 73-48 victory over College of Charleston. James led the Lady Dawgs with nine rebounds and six assists and played all 40 minutes in a 67-60 win over No. 23 Southern Cal on Nov. 20.

"To put up those kind of numbers, you not only have to play well, you have to play hard," Andy Landers said after the College of Charleston win. "J.J. hasn't just played well, she's played extremely hard for extended minutes. She's been very impressive."

For the season, James is averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 4.0 steals per game. Among SEC statistical leaders, she currently ranks No. 10 in scoring, No. 4 in assists, No. 2 in steals, No. 6 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8) and No. 4 in minutes played (34.5).

The recognition represents the sixth weekly honor during James' two-plus seasons in Athens. As a freshman in 2009-10, she was tabbed SEC Freshman of the Week a league-record five times.

Also on Monday, the Lady Dawgs climbed to No. 10 in the Associated Press top-25 poll. The top-10 appearance is Georgia's 258th all-time. Since their first AP ranking in 1981-82, the Lady Dawgs have been included in the top-10 in 47.8 percent of the AP polls released.