Tiffany Jackson named Big 12 Player of the Week
DALLAS -- University of Texas 6-3 sophomore forward Tiffany Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Duncanville HS) was selected as Big 12 Women's Basketball Player of the Week for games played from January 24-30, the conference announced Monday. The leading scorer, rebounder, shot blocker and steals leader for the No. 13 Longhorns, Jackson led Texas (12-6 overall, 5-2 in the Big 12) to two Big 12 road wins last week. Jackson shot 62 percent from the floor, and averaged a double-double by collecting 52 points (26.0 ppg average) and 23 rebounds (11.5 rpg) to go with eight steals and three blocks in the 83-71 overtime win at Oklahoma on Wednesday and a 71-52 victory at Missouri on Saturday. She also went 10-for-11 in free throws in the two games. Jackson collected game and career-highs of 30 points and 16 rebounds in UT's OT win over the Sooners, leading Texas back from a 14-point second-half deficit. Shooting 11-for-19 in the game, Jackson accounted for the bulk of UT's scoring and rebounding in the second half and OT periods against Oklahoma, netting 20 points with 10 rebounds in that last stretch of the game. This included nine points in OT - including an offensive rebound putback and a three-point play, as UT out-scored OU 16-4 in the extra period. Jackson had nine points, three rebounds, one assist and one block in that decisive five-minute OT. Prior to that, the Longhorns had to stage a comeback from a 14-point deficit (40-26) with 18:15 to go in the regulation. Jackson sparked the comeback with 11 points, four rebounds and four critical steals in the final minutes of regulation. In the win at Missouri, Jackson had 22 points (on 10-for-15 shooting) and seven rebounds and four steals in just 26 minutes of play. Jackson helped UT to a 41-23 lead at intermission with 10 points, four rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes of play in the first half. Sharing Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors were 6-2 freshman forward Danielle Page (Nebraska) and 6-1 freshman forward Darrice Griffin (Texas Tech). Jackson has now been in double-figure scoring 16 times - a Texas high; her 30 and 22 points mark the sixth time that Jackson has notched 20 or more points this season, and the fourth time in the last six games that she has scored or surpassed 20 points. She leads Texas in overall scoring and rebounding (17.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and in Big 12 scoring and rebounding (20.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and is among the league leaders in steals, points, rebounds, FG percentage (56%). Jackson's honor gives Texas back-to-back Player of the Week selections, as last week 5-8 junior guard Nina Norman collected her first ever Big 12 weekly honor - which was UT's first Big 12 weekly honor this season. Players are nominated by each school's sports information office and voted on by a panel of media who cover Big 12 women's basketball. This award is the sixth weekly award for Jackson, who set a Big 12 record with five Freshman of the Week honors last winter en route to being named 2004 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Texas returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 2 when it hosts Big 12 opponent Texas A&M in the Lone Star Showdown at 7 p.m. (CT) at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. For tickets, go to TexasBoxOffice.com; tickets also can be purchased at the Frank Erwin Center Box Office or UT Athletics during business hours, or by calling 1-800-982-BEVO or (512) 471-3333.
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