Photo Credit: Wagner College Media Relations Department
Somerset, NJ – In leading the Seahawks to their third straight victory after completing a weekend sweep of their Brooklyn-based conference rivals, LIU Brooklyn and St. Francis Brooklyn, redshirt sophomore wing
Taylah Simmons was named Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Player of the Week, the league office announced on Wednesday.
For Simmons, it is her first Player of the Week honors after she was named NEC Co-Rookie of the Week back on February 6 a season ago. In averaging 26.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 50.0 percent from the field, the Melbourne, Australia native shares this week's honor with Jessica Kovatch of Saint Francis U. Additionally, redshirt junior guard
Janelle Mullen was tabbed to this week's #NECPrimePerformer List.
In taking the regular season series from LIU Brooklyn this past Saturday, Simmons played the entire 40 minutes in racking up her fifth double-double of the season, as she led all scorers with 22 points and corralled 10 caroms in the 66-62 road win against the Blackbirds. The Aussie-born forward delivered down the stretch against LIU Brooklyn, accounting for six points during a 1:15 fourth-quarter burst that bumped the Seahawks lead to 63-55 with 3:15 remaining.
In a game that turned into an instant classic at the Spiro Sports Center on Monday evening against St. Francis Brooklyn, the second-year Seahawk accomplished a feat that she has previously been close to achieving times before.
Wagner had a chance to increase its lead late but a misfired shot gave possession back to the Terriers, who called timeout with 23 seconds left in the contest before SFBK's Jade Johnson banked one home off the window, putting the visitors ahead, 85-84, forcing a Seahawk timeout.
When play resumed, Simmons was able to drive into the lane and crafted a well-executed spin move away from the defender for career-high 30th point of the game, as the Seahawks led 86-85 with 00:07 remaining in regulation.
Over the last ten games, in which Wagner is 6-4, Simmons is pouring in 21.0 ppg to go along with 7.6 rpg while also dishing out 2.5 apg in 33.1 mpg. She is converting at a 55.1 percent clip during this span. In further breaking down her recent success, Simmons is averaging 22.6 ppg and 8.8 rpg to go along with 3.0 apg in 34.6 over her last five games.
Simmons currently ranks seventh overall in the circuit in scoring (15.6 ppg), and among the top-ten in rebounding at 6.6 pg. Additionally, the sophomore forward is shooting at a 49.0 clip, good for fourth among all-NEC players. In NEC-only games, Simmons is second behind Kovatch in scoring at 20.2 ppg (Kovatch 25.5 ppg), ranking ninth in rebounding (7.2 rpg). The Australian native is third in field-goal percentage, shooting 55.4 percent in 11 league-only contests.
In addition to Simmons being named Player of the Week, redshirt junior guard
Janelle Mullen was tabbed to the #NECPrimePerformer list.
Mullen has been a contributing force for Wagner, especially in her last two contests. At LIU Brooklyn, Mullen, with 34 seconds left to play, drilled a corner three-pointer that proved to be the deciding basket as the Seahawks stifled a later Blackbird rally and picking up a 66-62 victory to clinch the regular season series. In that contest, the Ozone Park, NY native scored a then season-best, 15 points, on 5-of-6 shooting from the field while going a perfect 3-of-3 from long range.
Against the Terriers on Monday evening, Mullen produced her best game in the Wagner uniform, erupting for 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range in 32 minutes of action.
Mullen and Simmons performances against the Terriers marked the first time since Feb. 13, 2017, in which a pair of teammates went for 20-or-more points in a contest since
Corinn Baggs (20 points) and former NEC Rookie of the Year,
Kerstie Phills (20 points), did so against Saint Francis U on the road.
Simmons and Mullen along with the rest of the Seahawks will look for its fourth-straight win as they welcome the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils to the Spiro Sports Center on Saturday afternoon. The Wagner-CCSU contest will be broadcasted on ESPN + ($).
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