ATLANTA – After leading Georgia Tech to victories over North Carolina and Virginia last week, redshirt sophomore Niesha Butler was named the ACC’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week today by conference media.
Butler, a 5-8 guard who garnered seven ACC Rookie of the Week awards as a freshman in 1998-99, is the first Georgia Tech player to be named ACC Player of the Week since Kenya Williams on Nov. 23, 1998.
Butler averaged 19.3 points per game as the Yellow Jackets faced league foes North Carolina, Florida State and Virginia and finished 2-1 on the week. The New York, N.Y., native finished the week 25-52 from the floor (.442), including 4-9 from behind the three-point arc and 8-11 from the free throw line. She scored a game-high 25 points in Georgia Tech’s 82-75 victory over North Carolina, the first win for Tech in Carmichael Auditorium since 1991. In the Jackets’ victory over No. 25 Virginia, Butler tallied 22 points to lead Georgia Tech to its first victory over the Cavaliers since 1997. Butler has scored in double figures in every game this season and has reached the 20-point mark six times, including twice last week.
Duke forward Iciss Tillis claimed ACC Rookie of the Week honors. Tillis scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds as Duke defeated Wake Forest 81-56. The Tulsa, Okla., native hit 7 of 11 from the field (.636) and 2 of 3 from behind the arc. She also tallied three blocks, two assists and one steal. In her last five games, Tillis has posted 10 blocks. She is averaging 15 points and six boards in her last two contests.
