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Oklahoma's Aaliyah Chavez Wins Sixth SEC Freshman of the Week Honor

The Sooners' fabulous freshman exploded in overtime to help OU take down No. 2 South Carolina, then delivered another strong performance in a win at Auburn.
John Hoover|
Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez
Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oklahoma Sooners

 By OU Media Relations

NORMAN —  For the sixth time this season, Oklahoma freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez was named the SEC Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week after leading the Sooners to a win over No. 2 South Carolina on Thursday and a road victory at Auburn to close the week.

Chavez's six Freshman of the Week honors are the second most in program history, trailing only Courtney Paris, who earned nine during her freshman season. Her six awards are tied for the third most in SEC history, behind only Mikayla Blakes (seven, 2024–25) and Rhyne Howard (eight, 2018–19).

In No. 10 Oklahoma's two games last week, Chavez averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range.

Read More

How Chavez Caught Fire in OT to Power Oklahoma Past South Carolina
Oklahoma Takes Down No. 2 South Carolina
Oklahoma Pulls Off Another Tough One on the Road

Against the Gamecocks, Chavez poured in 26 points and dished out a career-high eight assists. Fifteen of her points came in overtime, setting a school record for points in an extra period. She became the first freshman since Caitlin Clark in 2021 to record at least 26 points and eight assists against a top-25 opponent.

Chavez followed that performance with 18 points, four 3-pointers and four assists in Oklahoma's 72-65 road win at Auburn.

Chavez now leads Jennie Barancyk's Sooners in scoring at 19.5 points per game and has dished out a team-high 85 assists. She also leads the Sooners' volume shooters with a .345 clip from 3-point range.

The unanimous 2025 national prep player of the year and the top-ranked recruit in the country by multiple outlets, Chavez leads all true freshmen in scoring at 18.9 points per game and has posted six 20-point performances, the most among true freshmen. She is one of only five players nationally — and the only freshman — averaging at least 19.0 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game, putting her on pace to join Hannah Hidalgo, Paige Bueckers and Clark as the only freshmen since 2009 to reach those marks.

Chavez and the Sooners return to action Thursday when they host Texas A&M at the Lloyd Noble Center at 6 p.m. on SEC Network+. Oklahoma then travels to Austin, for a top-10 matchup with No. 4 Texas on ABC.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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