Jenna Villa Named West Coast Conference Player of the Week
In this story:
After putting together a 24 point game to carry the Beavers to a 74-65 win over San Francisco, Oregon State's Jenna Villa has been named the West Coast Conference's Player of the Week.
RELATED:
Oregon State Takes Down San Francisco 74-65 in West Coast Conference Opener
This is the second time this season that an Oregon State player has won the award. The first was Tiara Bolden, who won the honor in the second week of the season after leading the Beavers to wins over Illinois and Air Force.
Bolden and Villa have been the Beavers top two scorers this season, with Villa taking over the top spot this weekend. So far this season Villa has scored 197 points, averaging 14.1 points per game, along with 68 total rebounds and 28 assists.
On Sunday against the Dons the Beavers needed all the help Villa could give them. San Francisco had stormed back from a first half deficit to take a slim lead midway through the fourth quarter, but seven points from Villa in the final stretch put the game to bed, giving the Beavers a win in their first West Coast Conference game this season.
RELATED:
Beavers Survive First Challenge, Earn 60-49 Win Over Air Force
Villa was the biggest addition the Beavers made to the team in the last off season. Last year she was a key part of Washington State's team, with her three point shooting becoming a key part of the Cougars offense over the season.
After a slow start in her first few games as a Beaver, Villa broke through with a 22 point game against Colorado State on November 21st. She's broken the 20 point barrier three times this season, against the Dons and Aggies as previously mentioned, and a season high 27 points in the Beavers November 27th loss to Oregon.
RELATED:
Oregon State WBB Picked To Repeat As WCC Champions
Last year Oregon State's three-point shooting struggled, but this year Villa, Bolden and Ally Schimel have combined to make the Beavers a dangerous team from beyond the arc. While last season the Beavers had to go on a Cinderella run through the WCC Tournament to earn a berth in March Madness, this year the Beavers are a conference favorite.
As we get into the meat of the West Coast Conference schedule, that favorite status is going to be tested. San Francisco already put a scare into the Beavers. The Beavers are still on the road, and will face Saint Mary's tonight. The Gaels lost a squeaker against Portland in their WCC season opener, and are looking for a bounce back win against the Beavers. Tipoff is set for 5 PM PT.
More Reading Material From Oregon State Beavers On SI
Having grown up in Pocatello, home of the Idaho State Bengals, John Severs is a lifelong fan of small schools that don't always deliver a lot of wins. Prior to writing for On SI, John covered the Beavers for SB Nation's Oregon State blog Building the Dam, with a focus on baseball and women's basketball. When he's not watching college sports he spends most of his time reading, playing video games and annoying cats.