SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina’s Jewel Smalls has been named the Southern Conference women’s basketball player of the week presented by GEICO for games played Nov. 12-18, the conference announced Tuesday.

Smalls averaged 12.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, collecting two double-doubles and just missing a third on the week. She began the week by scoring 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, both team highs, and added two assists and two steals in a 70-62 loss at USC Upstate on Nov. 12. She went 7-for-15 from the floor (46.7 percent), including 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Two days later against Campbell, the native of Roswell, Georgia, finished with another double-double, tallying 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in the 61-40 setback. She ended the week with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds against UNC Asheville on Monday, Nov. 18, narrowly missing her third double-double in the span. 

Smalls leads the league in rebounding, averaging 10.7 boards per contest, and is tied for ninth in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game.

Western Carolina (1-5) plays at Davidson on Wednesday, Nov. 20, before returning to host Coastal Carolina on Sunday, Nov. 24.

Also nominated: Micah Scheetz (ETSU), Taylor Petty (Furman), Te’ja Twitty (UNC Greensboro) and Sarah Myers (Samford).

SoCon Women’s Basketball Players of the Week presented by GEICO

Nov. 12 – Erica Haynes-Overton, Jr., G, ETSU
Nov. 19 – Jewel Smalls, So., G, Western Carolina