Longwood University Athletics

FARMVILLE, VA. - After leading Longwood women's basketball to a pair of wins over Winthrop, including a 14 point, 13 rebound, 11 block triple-double, Akila Smith was named the Big South Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday afternoon.

The honor is the second Player of the Week award for Smith this season, and the fifth of the season for the Lancers. Smith first earned the honor on Nov. 30, while McMakin earned the award her second time on Jan. 11 after sweeping the Big South weekly awards with teammate Adriana Shipp on Dec. 21. Longwood won 10 Big South weekly awards in 2019-20. 

The latest win comes after a historic week for the Lancers that vaulted Longwood into second place in the Big South standings. Not only did she average a double-double, but she set a school record (and Big South record) with 11 blocks against Winthrop as part of a 14-point, 13-rebound, 11-block triple-double masterpiece in an 80-73 win on Friday night. She had six blocks in the fourth quarter to fend off the Eagles. She followed it with an 11-point, seven rebound performance, her 12^th straight game with 10+ points. On the week, she averaged 12.5 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 6.5 blocks.

A native of Orlando, Fla., Smith is the only player in the Big South averaging a double-double this season, ranking fifth in the conference with 14.3 points per game and first in the conference in rebounds, hauling in 11.3 per contest. The versatile forward ranks first in all of Division I in blocks (58), tied for first in double-doubles (9), and is one of just seven players in the country to record a triple-double in the 2020-21 season. 

The Lancers will have an extended break, next returning to action on Friday, Jan. 29 and Saturday, Jan. 30 for a back-to-back set with Presbyterian at Willett Hall in Farmville, Va.  

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