Tiana Mangakahia named ACC Player of the Week 4 days after scoring 44 points in a game
Codie Yan | Staff Photographer
Tiana Mangakahia earned Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors after the point guard’s big week led to two wins for Syracuse (14-3, 2-2 Atlantic Coast). It was her second ACC honor this season, as she was named a Co-Player of the Week on Nov. 27.
The sophomore from Australia began against Georgia Tech last Thursday, scoring a career-high 44 points in an 88-77 Syracuse win. That’s the second-highest point total scored in the Carrier Dome, by a man or woman. The effort ties for the third-highest scoring output in NCAA Division I this season.
“I did feel like they couldn’t really guard me,” Mangakahia said after the game against GT.
Mangakahia’s scoring was buoyed by a 20-of-21 effort from the free-throw line, program records for both made and attempted free throws. She added eight assists on her career night, as well.
Syracuse’s second win of the week came against then-No. 11 Florida State, 76-69, on Sunday. Mangakahia was faced with constant double teams from FSU and only scored five points, but she added 13 assists to bring her country-leading assist total to 10.4 per game and 177 total. It was Mangakahia’s 11th game out of SU’s 17 that she finished with double-digit assists.
The win over the ranked Seminoles was the Orange’s first victory over a ranked opponent this season. After the two wins, Mangakahia’s season averages sit at 17.8 points, 10.4 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
Published on January 8, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Contact Billy: wmheyen@syr.edu | @Wheyen3