Feb. 25, 2008

IRVING, Texas - - Conference USA has named Jareica Hughes of UTEP and SMU's Janielle Dodds as its Co-Women's Basketball Players of the Week after guiding their teams to the top two seeds, respectively, in the upcoming C-USA Championship.

Hughes averaged 21 points, 8.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds on 63.6 percent shooting from the floor (14-of-22) in wins at Southern Miss and UCF.

Dodds averaged a solid 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds, while hitting 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the floor in wins against Houston and Rice.

C-USA Co-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
JAREICA HUGHES, UTEP
5-3, Sophomore, Guard, Southfield, Mich.
Hughes has been named C-USA co-Player of the Week after leading UTEP to the first women's basketball regular season title in the 34-year history of the program. The Miners picked up a pair of road wins to clinch the crown outright Sunday. Hughes averaged 21 points, 8.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds on 63.6 percent shooting from the floor (14-of-22). She accounted for 19 points, eight assists and four rebounds in the 73-72 overtime win at Southern Miss. Hughes nailed back-to-back 3s to cut the Eagles nine-point lead to three with 2:33 remaining. Hughes then stole the ball and set up Natasha Lacy for the game-tying-three to send the contest into overtime. Hughes contributed 23 points, nine assists and three rebounds to help lead the Miners to a 89-74 win against UCF. She hit all five attempted shots and registered six assists in the opening 20 minutes give UTEP a 15-point advantage at the break.

JANIELLE DODDS, SMU
6-3, Senior, Center, Fairfax, Va.
Dodds had a strong week where she averaged a solid 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds, while hitting 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the floor. She also connected on 15-of-16 attempted free throws for a 93.8 accuracy as well as blocked a pair of shots, pocketed three thefts and had three assists. She collected her seventh double-double of the season, and 37th of her career, with 24 points and 10 rebounds against Rice. She also had 21 points and nine boards against Houston.SMU locked up the No. 2 seed in the upcoming C-USA Championship with home wins against Rice, 80-68, and UH, 85-74, last week.

2007-08 C-USA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
N12 Valeriya Berezhynska, Rice
N20 Maudess Fulton, Rice & Crystal McFadden, UAB
N26 Janielle Dodds, SMU
D3 Delisha Wills, SMU
D10 LaToya Terry, East Carolina & Pauline Love, Southern Miss
D17 Casey Baker, Marshall
D24 Crystal McFadden, UAB
D30 Kizzy Hart, Marshall
J7 Twiggy McIntrye, Houston
J14 Diamond Rogers, UAB & Jareica Hughes, UTEP
J21 Twiggy McIntrye, Houston
J28 Larrissa Williams, Tulsa
F4 Tye Jackson, Houston
F11 Stephanie Helgeson, Southern Miss
F18 Valeriya Berezhynska, Rice & Natasha Lacy, UTEP
F25 Janielle Dodds, SMU & Jareica Hughes, UTEP