SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Celena Taborn has been named the Southern Conference women’s basketball player of the week for games played Jan. 16-22, the conference announced Tuesday.

Taborn and the Paladins finished the week with a 2-1 record after topping Chattanooga and Converse and falling to ETSU, giving them a 3-3 mark in conference play this season. The Sidney, Ohio, native finished the week averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds while also chipping in four total blocks.

In the loss to league-leading ETSU, Taborn scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor.

On Saturday in her first career start, the freshman exploded for 19 points and 18 rebounds, a career high, in the 59-58 win over Chattanooga. Taborn finished 6-for-11 from the floor en route to her third double-double of the season.

The 6-3 forward rounded out the week with 18 points and nine boards in just 17 minutes of action against Converse, pushing her streak to five consecutive games scoring in double digits. Taborn shot a blistering 75 percent from the field while chipping in two blocks and one steal.

Taborn leads the SoCon with a 62 percent field-goal percentage this season and ranks third in offensive rebounds (65) and blocked shots per game (1.1). Taborn is also the only freshman in the league to rank among the top 15 in scoring and rebounding.

Also nominated: Erica Haynes-Overton (ETSU), Sydni Means (Mercer), Te’ja Twitty (UNCG) and Charity Brown (Samford).

SoCon Women’s Basketball Players of the Week
Nov. 14 - Sydni Means, Mercer, Sr.
Nov. 21 - Tianna Tarter, ETSU, Sr.
Nov. 28 - Keiana Gilbert, Chattanooga, Sr.
Dec. 5 - Erica Haynes-Overton, ETSU, Fr.
Dec. 12 - Ije Ajemba, UNCG, Sr.
Dec. 19 - Cierra Carter, Furman, Sr.
Jan. 2 - Kahlia Lawrence, Mercer, Sr.
Jan. 9 - KeKe Calloway, Mercer, Jr.
Jan. 16 - Ije Ajemba, UNCG, Sr.
Jan. 23 - Celena Taborn, Furman, Fr.