THE FLATS – Georgia Tech forward Lorela Cubaj was tabbed the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball player of the week on Monday after helping the Yellow Jackets to a pair of victories. Posting back-to-back games with double-figure rebounds, Cubaj averaged 13.5 rebounds in the two wins to go along with 6.5 assists, 5.0 points, 2.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per game.
After topping then-No. 20/19 Georgia on the road on Dec. 5, the Yellow Jackets downed then-No. 3/2 UConn last Thursday in historic fashion. Cubaj helped lift the Jackets past UConn, finishing with a game-high 13 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals in Tech’s first win over a top-3 opponent since 2009. Cubaj recorded her fourth-straight game with double-figure rebounds and matched her career-high with seven assists. The win snapped UConn’s 240-game winning streak over unranked opponents that extended back to 2012.
Cubaj followed that performance with 14 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and three steals in a dominating 63-36 win over Furman on Sunday. The outing marked Cubaj’s fifth-straight double-figure rebounding game and seventh this season. Recording six assists, the Italian native now owns seven games with five or more assists on the season.
Cubaj leads Georgia Tech in assists (47) and rebounding (12.5 rpg) this year. She ranks first in the ACC in rebounding and is fifth nationally. With 1,034 career rebounds, Cubaj is one of only 12 active Division I players – and the only in the ACC – to have 1,000-plus career rebounds. Additionally, Cubaj is the only post player in the ACC to lead their team in assists and ranks fourth overall in the conference, averaging 4.7 assists per game.
The weekly award marks the first for Cubaj in her collegiate career. She becomes the first Yellow Jacket to win ACC Player of the Week since Lotta-Maj Lahtinen earned the recognition on Dec. 14, 2020.
Georgia Tech returns to the hardwood on Sunday, Dec. 19, opening conference play hosting Wake Forest. Tip is slated for 6 p.m. in McCamish Pavilion on the ACC Network.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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