Sophomore Akil Simpson was named Conference USA Player of the Week. (SMU Athletics )
After posting her second straight double-double against Marshall, Sophomore Akil Simpson was the first Mustang to be named Conference USA Player of the Week this season.
Simpson is also the first Mustang to score back-to-back double-doubles since 2010.
The forward from Duncanville, Texas had 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in SMU’s victory against Houston in Moody Coliseum, Jan. 12.
She shot 50 percent from the field and 75 percent from the stripe.
The following game against Marshall, the conference’s fourth-best scoring defense, Simpson added a game-high 20 points and13 rebounds to SMU’s nail-biting 55-53 victory. She hit 60 percent of her shots from the field.
Averaging 12.6 points per game in conference play, Simpson is one of the team’s top scorers.
She also is among the rebound leaders, with 7.6 rebounds per game.
Simpson hit her career-high 22 points against Fresno State this season.
In the 2010 to 2011 Simpson scored her first double-double against Houston with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She has five career double-doubles.
Simpson’s points per game average was 4.9 for her first season — evidence already of Simpson’s potential and improvement in her second season.
The Mustangs post a 10-8 overall and 3-2 conference record, after the key and hard-earned victories against Houston and Marshall.
The 76-61 win over Houston in Moody Coliseum was led by junior guard Alisha Filmore. She scored 26 points.
SMU kept the lead by at least five points throughout the second half to secure the win. In the last five minutes the Mustangs out-scored the Cougars 11-2.
Simpson led the victory against Marshall the following game, however the game came down to seconds. Marshall missed a layup and three-point attempt in the final seconds. SMU forced a turnover and finished the game with a two-point lead.
The Mustangs accomplished their third consecutive victory after defeating East Carolina last week, 68-44.
SMU currently ranks fifth in C-USA, behind undefeated UTEP, Memphis (4-1), UAB (4-2) and UCF (4-2).
UCF’s scoring offense is 11th in conference, averaging 55.8 points per game. SMU averages 61.3 points per game.
The Mustangs and Knights will face off Thursday in Orlando at 6 p.m.
