Dec. 1, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - -
Paris Leonard (Memphis/Wooddale HS) and Ramses Lonlack (Belabo, Cameroon/Stoneleigh Burnham School (Mass.)) helped Memphis sweep Conference USA weekly honors it was announced by the league office on Monday. Leonard earned her first career C-USA Player of the Week award, while Lonlack earned her first career Conference USA Rookie of the Week honor. Leonard's Player of the Week award is the first for a Tiger women's basketball player since Princess Swilley earned a league honor on Jan. 27, 2003, while Lonlack is the program's first-ever league Rookie-of-the-Week, an award that was added this season.
Leonard, who was named the 24th Annual Piggly Wiggly Classic MVP Saturday night, averaged 19.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 steals while helping Memphis to a 3-0 week. Against Stephen F. Austin in the championship game, Leonard finished with 19 points. Her layup with 14 minutes left on the clock helped Memphis overcome a halftime deficit and pushed the Tigers in front 41-39, giving the team a lead it would never relinquish en route its 18th classic crown. That bucket was also her 1,000th career point, making her just the 19th women's basketball player to pass the grand mark, and moving her to 18th on the Tigers' career scoring charts.
Lonlack is also earning her first career honor after averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 steals and 4.0 rebounds per game last week. The freshman broke a 69-69 tie in the win over Ohio, scoring Memphis' final three points from the free-throw line in a 72-69 victory over the 20-win team from last season. She finished with a career-high 18 points against Ohio, hitting 7-of-12 from the field. Lonlack was 10-for-12 from the free-throw line on the weekend, and as the team's primary defender on the opposing team's ball-handlers, she added 12 steals over three games, pushing her in to a tie with Leonard for first on the team with 21 steals on the year.
The Tigers are off to a 5-2 start and will host SEC foe Arkansas, Wednesday, at 7 p.m. at FedExForum. The game, which is the first of three Memphis will play at the NBA arena this season, can be viewed online at www.gotigersgo.com with an All-Access subscription. The live video will include Jeff Brightwell's audio feed as well. Fans living inside the Memphis area can listen to Brightwell's call on WUMR, 91.7 FM.
Tickets for the game can be purchased online at www.gotigersgo.com from the Tickets Window in the left hand column. Cost for adults is $5.00 for general admission and youth ages 6-12 and senior citizens can receive admission for $3.00. Children 5 and under are free, as are U of M students with their respective IDs. Group tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more for $2.00 apiece by calling the Tiger Ticket Office at 901-678-2331.
