Week 10 Women's Basketball Players of the Week Announced

January 6, 2025

NEW ORLEANS - January 6, 2025 - Southern University at New Orleans women's basketball player Tierra Sylvas wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player of the Week. Tougaloo College's Makaila Brown garners Defensive Player of the Week. Oakwood University's Kamaria Murray takes home Freshman of the Week. Talladega College's DeJaria Lewis claims Newcomer of the Week. The athletes were recognized for their performances from December 23, 2024 to January 5, 2025.

Sylvas averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 assists in the first two games of the HBCUAC Crossover. She shot 14-for-28 from the field with most of her points coming off midrange jumpers and in the paint. She scored 19 points against Wilberforce University on Friday and provided four assists. Her 16 points and five assists led SUNO to an 85-66 victory over Rust College. Sylvas ranks fourth in the HBCUAC with 3.7 assists per game.

Brown averaged 13.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and two steals per game last week. Twenty of her 27 rebounds came on the defensive end. She grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked five shots in Tougaloo's 69-64 victory over Fisk University on Friday. On Saturday, she posted 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in a 69-51 win over Voorhees University. Brown leads the HBCUAC with 6.9 defensive rebounds per game and fifth with 10.1 total rebounds per game. This is Brown's fourth honor.

Murray averaged 15 points, four rebounds, 3.5 assists and three steals per game in two contests. She put up 18 points, four rebounds and four steals against Philander Smith University on Friday. In Saturday's win over the University of the Virgin Islands, Murray contributed 12 points, five assists and two steals.

Lewis tallied 12.5 points and 10 rebounds per game leading Talladega to two HBCUAC victories. She scored 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots to help Talladega rally for a double overtime victory over Wiley University on Friday. She posted a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in a victory over Philander Smith on Saturday. Entering play on Monday, Lewis leads the conference with 5.8 offensive rebounds per game and ranks fourth with 10.3 total rebounds per contest.

Additional women's basketball weekly nominees: Trenisha Adams (Oakwood), Limaya Batimba (Stillman), Morgan Bone (Oakwood), Keeli Burton-Oliver (Fisk), Constance Chaplin (Wilberforce), Inga Colclough (Voorhees), Kaelin Davis (Voorhees), Laniya Early (Wilberforce), Samya Johnson (Philander Smith), Mya Jones (Wiley), Ashlyn Kimble (Philander Smith), Mary Leday (Wiley), Kayla Lee (Fisk), Cassidy Lowe (Dillard), Zaire McNeal (SUNO), Jaida Minter (Stillman), Jessica Nerestant (Wiley), Lauren Powell (Stillman), Kayla Pryor (Talladega), Imani Rothschild (Dillard), Dasia Turner (Philander Smith), Morgan Williams (Tougaloo), Kyren Wilson (SUNO)

2024-25 Women's Basketball Players of the Week

Date	Offensive	Defensive	Freshman	Newcomer
Oct. 21-27	Dasia Turner, Philander Smith	Elizabeth Camacho, Wiley	Jakhiya Smith, SUNO	Samya Johnson, Philander Smith
Oct. 28-Nov. 3	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Jaida Minter, Stillman
Nov. 4-10	Dasia Turner, Philander Smith	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Kyren Wilson, SUNO	Michaela Payton, Rust
Nov. 11-17	Ty'Shemia Bunkley, Voorhees	Nedisha Ford, Voorhees	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	D'Mya Ferguson, Dillard
Nov. 18-24	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	A'Niya Young, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo
Nov. 25-Dec. 1	Ari Winston, Philander Smith	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Ashlyn Kimble, Philander Smith	Mary Leday, Wiley
Dec. 2-8	Saniya Keys Oakwood	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo
Dec. 9-15	Trenisha Adams, Oakwood	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Skyler Christmas, Dillard
Dec. 16-22	Makyla Tucker, Wilberforce	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makyla Tucker, Wilberforce
Dec. 23-Jan. 5	Tierra Sylvas, SUNO	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Kamaria Murray, Oakwood	DeJaria Lewis, Talladega

-HBCUAC-

About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.