North Carolina State University Athletics
Elissa Cunane Named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com
1/10/2022 2:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH – Senior center Elissa Cunane has been named ESPN.com's Player of the Week after helping lead Wolfpack women's basketball to a pair of ACC wins in the past four days.
Cunane averaged 19.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.0 steals in the Wolfpack's recent victories over No. 19 North Carolina and Miami. She compiled her scoring average with an impressive 77.8 percent success rate from the floor (14-of-18) between the outings.
The Summerfield, N.C., native was the only double-figure scorer for the Wolfpack in its ranked matchup with the Tar Heels. She posted her third double-double of the year and 28th of her career to lead the team in points (19) and rebounds (13), with her rebounding total tying her season high. Perhaps most impressively, the 6-5 center tied her career high in made threes, knocking down 3-of-4 attempts from beyond the arc.
Cunane went on to stuff the stat sheet against the Hurricanes, leading all players on the floor in scoring (19 points) while shooting 8-of-10 from the field. She added season highs in blocks (4) and assists (3) in the win and did not commit a turnover in nearly 30 minutes played against Miami. Fourteen of her 19 points against Miami were scored in the paint, which tied a season best.
On the year, Cunane averages 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds to lead the Wolfpack in both categories, with those marks each ranking in the top 11 in the ACC. Her season shooting percentage (.555) ranks third in the league.
Cunane has scored in double figures in 83 of her 105 career games played. She is currently ranked 13th in NC State women's basketball history in career points (1,583) and tied for ninth in career rebounds (832) midway through the 2021-22 regular season. Earlier this season, Cunane set the program record for career free throws made, surpassing the previous record of 428 while ranking just fifth in number of attempts.
Following her performances up to this point in the season, Cunane was recently named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List. She was also featured on preseason lists for the Lisa Leslie Award, Wade Trophy and Naismith Trophy, and she was also voted ACC Preseason Player of the Year.
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