Article Courtesy of University of Hawaii Athletic Department
IRVINE, Calif.—University of Hawai'i women's basketball player, Morgan Mason (Los Angeles, Calif./Mt. San Antonio JC) helped the Rainbow Wahine open the 2014-15 season 2-0 on the road for the first time in program history and was selected as the Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Week. It is the first weekly conference honor for Mason.
The 5-9 senior guard came up big in crucial situations in both victories, as the 'Bows knocked off Mountain West preseason favorite Colorado State and Denver.
In the 63-58 overtime triumph over the Rams, Mason sank a three-point dagger with 1:09 left in overtime that gave UH a 59-55 lead that they would hold on to for the rest of the game. In addition to scoring eight points, she pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds with three assists and two steals.
Against the Denver Pioneers, Mason poured in a career-high 23 points—including the last 12 points in a game that came down to the wire. Hawai'i held off Denver for a 60-58 win in a hard fought game. With the Rainbow Wahine trailing 51-48 and five minutes left on the clock, Mason spearheaded the final push with a layup and twice tied the game in crunch time with two free throws to knot the score at 52-52 with 3:32 left and again at 54-54 with 2:29 left with a layup. She later hit a three-pointer, her career high third of the game, to give UH a 57-54 lead with 1:38 left on the clock. Mason also hit a career-high eight of 10 attempts from the foul line—including three-of-four in the last 25-seconds to seal the win. She grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go along with four assists and a steal to help UH open a season at 2-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
Mason averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for the week. She is just the second Rainbow Wahine to earn BWC Player of the Week honors. Kamilah Jackson twice earned the award (Dec. 31, 2012 and Dec. 2, 2013) is the only other Hawai'i player to garner the award since UH returned to the Big West. Overall, Mason earned the 21st ever Big West POY award for UH.
The 'Bows return home to host the Bank of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine Classic. Coming to Honolulu are No. 14/15 California, UNLV and Missouri. Hawai'i opens against the Golden Bears on Friday, Nov. 21 at 7:00 p.m. Saturday is an off day and then UH will face UNLV on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Others nominated: Dynn Leaupepe (Cal Poly); Janae Sharpe (CSUN); Alex Sanchez (Long Beach State); Brittany Crain (UC Riverside)