SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Tierra Hodges has been named the Southern Conference women’s basketball player of the week presented by GEICO for games played Jan. 7-13 after averaging 14.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest as the Paladins began league play with two wins. The award is selected by the league office.
 
The guard/forward scored 12 points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds in a 62-49 home win over Mercer on Jan. 9, moving the Paladins to 1-0 in Southern Conference play and snapping Mercer’s 34-game regular-season conference winning streak. The native of Covington, Georgia, added four assists and one steal in 36 minutes of action. Two days later, Hodges scored 16 points, finishing 6-for-12 from the floor, and added a game-high 13 rebounds to record her fifth straight double-double as Furman downed Samford 77-69.
 
Hodges is second in the league in rebounding, averaging 9.6 per game, and is also in the top 10 in field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage.
 
After four straight home games, the Paladins (11-5, 2-0 SoCon) hit the road to play at ETSU (6-11, 1-1) on Thursday, Jan. 16, and at Chattanooga (2-14, 1-1) on Saturday, Jan. 18. 
 
Also nominated: Kaia Upton (ETSU), Natalie Armstrong (Samford), Aja Boyd (UNC Greensboro), Lauren LaPlant (Western Carolina) and Jamari McDavid (Wofford).
 
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
Nov. 26 – Nadine Soliman, Sr., G, UNCG
Dec. 3 – Jewel Smalls, So., G, Western Carolina
Dec. 10 – Tierra Hodges, R-Jr., G/F, Furman
Dec. 17 – Nadine Soliman, Sr., G, UNCG
Dec. 24 – Le’Jzae Davidson, Sr., G, Furman
Jan. 7 – Jaron Dougherty, So., F, Mercer
Jan. 14 – Tierra Hodges, R-Jr., G/F, Furman