UNLV’S DAKOTA GONZALEZ NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior guard averaged 27 points per game in leading the Lady Rebels to a 2-0 week
UNLV’s Dakota Gonzalez was named the Mountain West Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Monday after posting a pair of career-best scoring performances while leading the Lady Rebels to a 2-0 week with wins over Nevada, Reno and at San Jose State, the conference office announced on Monday. Gonzalez is the first Lady Rebel to receive the conference weekly honor since Aley Rohde was honored on Nov. 23, 2015, while this is the first weekly honor in Gonzalez’s career as well.
A 6-0 junior guard and native of Pocatello, Idaho, Gonzalez averaged 27 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 50% (22-of-44) from the floor and 50% (4-of-8) from three-point range as well over the two games.
She began the week by tying her previous career-high with 23 points on 10-of-21 shooting, while playing the entire 40 minutes at point guard in place of the injured Brooke Johnson in UNLV’s 60-41 home win over the UNR Wolf Pack on Feb. 8. Gonzalez nearly missed a double-double in the contest, as she finished the night with nine rebounds.
In UNLV’s 63-55 road win at San Jose State on Feb. 11, which avenged an earlier loss to the Spartans, Gonzalez set a new career-high with 31 points on 12-of-23 shooting. She added 10 rebounds, for her third double-double of the season and the fourth of her career.
Gonzalez also made several key plays to help pull out the victory, as after SJSU had tied the game in the final minute, she drove into the paint and drew a foul with 33 seconds left. She made both free throws for a two-point UNLV lead, and then grabbed a defensive rebound and made two more free throws for a four point UNLV edge.
For her two-game performance, Gonzalez was also named the College Sports Madness MW Player of the Week, as well as the High Mid-Major Player of the Week.
The Lady Rebels, 17-8 overall and 8-5 in league play, will now have their second bye of the conference schedule before returning to action on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 4 pm against San Diego State in the Cox Pavilion. It will be the Play4Kay breast cancer awareness pink game for UNLV, and all fans wearing pink to the game will receive $2 admission, while kids 12 and under are free at UNLV women’s basketball games.
There will be a free basketball clinic for kids in grades 2-8 before Saturday’s game in the Mendenhall Center starting at 2 pm, more information is available at www.unlvwomensbasketballcamps.com.