Jan. 4, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt freshman Tiffany Clarke has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the second time in three weeks, league officials Monday.
Clarke has averaged more than 18 points and eight rebounds per game since the Commodores returned from holiday break. Against East Tennessee State, Clarke posted 27 points and 11 rebounds to become the first Commodore freshman since Carla Thomas in 2004 to score more than 20 points in a game. Clarke’s 27 points are the most by a VU freshman since Chantelle Anderson scored 27 against Florida in 2000.
Clarke followed up the ETSU performance with 11 points and nine rebounds at No. 3 Notre Dame. The Duluth, Ga., native pulled down at least nine rebounds for the four straight game, and blocked three shots for the second consecutive contest.
In the first SEC game of her career, Clarke scored a team-high 18 points in only 23 minutes on 7-of-10 shooting. Clarke also hit 14-of-17 free throws during the week to raise her season average by nearly one-tenth of a point.
Clarke is the first Commodore to earn multiple Freshman of the Week honors since the league began honoring first-year players in 2006.
Clarke and the Commodores (12-2, 1-0 SEC) will hit the road this week for games at Mississippi State (Jan. 7, 8 p.m. CT) and Kentucky (Jan. 10, 1 p.m. ET).