After powering No. 9 Iowa women’s basketball‘s (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) offense in its three wins over last week, including a 62-44 upset victory against then-No. 5 Michigan (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) on Feb. 22, sophomore center Ava Heiden has been named the Associate Press (AP) National Player of the Week, according the news organization’s annoucement on Feb. 24.
The 6-foot-4 native of Sherwood, Ore., led Iowa in scoring during all three games (Nebraska, Purdue, and Michigan) by averaging 24.0 points per game on 75% shooting from the field, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.6 blocks, including three consecutive double-doubles to increase her career total to eight.
While she recorded a career-high-tying 27 points on 12-for-15 shooting and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line at Nebraska on Feb. 16, Heiden sealed her National Player of the Week candidacy in the Feb. 22 win over Michigan.
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Against the Wolverines, Heiden posted 24 points on 11-for-17 shooting and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, along with 10 boards, two blocks, and two steals to cap off a successful “Senior Day” in front of a boisterous sellout Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd. Her 12 fourth-quarter points helped the Hawkeyes pull away from the Wolverines in what would eventually be an 18-point victory, arguably Iowa’s best win on the season so far.
Adding to her sensational play, Hieden’s 24-point and 10 rebound outing against the Wolverines was her fourth double-double of the season with at least 20 points.
Through the Hawkeyes’ 27 games this season, Heiden leads the team with 17.3 points on 64.4% shooting (No. 4 nationally in field goal percentage), along with 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per contest.
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Heiden’s AP National Player of the Week recognition this week marks her first of her career, joining senior forward Hannah Stuelke’s Jan. 20 distinction as the only other Hawkeye to earn the honor this season.
Heiden will look to continue her impressive play this week as the Hawkeyes host their regular-season home finale on Thursday, Feb. 26, against Illinois inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, followed by their Big Ten regular-season finale at Wisconsin on Sunday, March 1. Tipoff versus the Fighting Illini is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network, while the clash against the Badgers is set for 2 p.m. CT on BTN+.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women’s basketball’s Ava Heiden named AP National Player of the Week
