COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San José State forward Tyra Whitehead was named the Mountain West Player of the Week on Monday following back-to-back standout performances last week.
The honor is the first of the junior's career and SJSU's third award from the conference office this season after sophomore Ayzhiana Basallo received the nod twice in November. This marks the program's first season with multiple Mountain West Player of the Week award winners since joining the conference in 2013.
Whitehead averaged 14.5 points and 16 rebounds per game in a pair of big victories last week. The Richmond, Va. product tallied consecutive double-doubles in the two wins and now has nine double-doubles on the season.
The forward was 12-of-25 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free throw line in her pair of dominant performances. She peppered the entire stat sheet throughout the week, dishing out four assists while making three steals and a trio of blocks.
"Ty has carried our team at times in the rebounding category and has shown to be one of the premier post players on the west coast," says head coach Jamie Craighead. "She is a team player and is well-deserving of this recognition. Our team put together a perfect week that set her up to be considered for the award and I am thrilled for her to be recognized."
Whitehead is averaging a conference-high 10.4 rebounds per game as the month of January winds to a close. She became just the second Spartan in program history to join the 20/20 Club earlier this month, notching 22 points and 20 rebounds against first-place Fresno State.
Big time players make big time plays.
— San José State Women's Basketball (@SanJoseStateWBB) January 23, 2020
?? Eight double-doubles for @tmarie1533
2?2? Now ranked No. 22 nationally in steals@MW_WBB | @Hoophall | @herhoopstats pic.twitter.com/waDCh805ka
In addition to the award from the conference office, Whitehead was also named the league's Player of the Week by College Sports Madness on Monday. She enters the week ranked No. 7 nationally in rebounds and is 25th in all of Division I in steals.
San José State (14-6, 8-1 Mountain West) is off to its best nine-game start to conference play since the 1978-79 Spartans went 12-0 in NorPac action.
Spartan fans can catch Whitehead and company in action on Wednesday night as the team hosts third-place Boise State at the Provident Credit Union Event Center. The battle with the Broncos is set for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.