DePaul University Athletics
Bekelja Takes Home First BIG EAST Accolade of the Season
11/30/2020 12:43:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Senior guard named to Honor Roll after a career-high 24 points on Saturday
CHICAGO – Dee Bekelja didn't waste any time getting her senior season off to a promising start.
The shooting guard who always exhibited an abundance of potential was selected the BIG EAST Honor Roll on Monday after scoring a career-high 24 points in No.19/19 DePaul's 93-91 loss to No. 13/14 Texas A&M on Saturday.
It signified that the explosive scorer from Solon, Ohio turned in one of the top five performances of the week in the conference after shooting a blistering 10-of-15 from the field including 4-of-7 from deep.
This was also the Blue Demons' first BIG EAST accolade on the first week the league announced its awards.
Bekelja has mostly been a valuable role player in coach Doug Bruno's program her first three years, although she started eight games in 2019-20.
Bruno has been forecasting a breakout year for Bekelja, and her season debut might be an early sign of things to come.
Bekelja and her teammates take on Chicago State this afternoon at 2 p.m. at Wintrust Arena.
BIG EAST Women's Basketball Player of the Week
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova, So., F
The BIG EAST's top returning scorer and reigning Freshman of the Year picked up where she left off in 2019-20, averaging 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and .595 shooting in wins over Rider and at Quinnipiac last week. The Villanova sophomore began the year with a 28-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Broncs on Wednesday, before going for 25 and 10 against the Bobcats on Sunday, including the game-clinching free-throws in the final nine seconds. Siegrist's scoring average currently ranks 14th nationally, fifth among players with multiple game appearances, while she's one of 12 players in Division I already with multiple double-doubles.
BIG EAST Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week
Nia Clark, Xavier, R-Fr., G
In her first game in a Xavier uniform, Clark scored a team-high 14 points and registered a game-high 10 steals – the second-highest total by a Division I player this season – as the Musketeers scored an 81-73 win at Detroit Mercy on Wednesday. Clark, a transfer from Miami (Ohio), was 6-of-13 from the field, draining her one three-point attempt, and added four assists in 31 minutes of action.
BIG EAST Women's Basketball Weekly Honor Roll
Dee Bekelja, DePaul, Sr., G
Bekelja scored a game-high 24 points off 10-of-15 shooting while adding five rebounds as the 19th-ranked Blue Demons came up just shy of 13th-ranked Texas A&M on Saturday, 93-91.
Jordan King, Marquette, So., G
King led the Golden Eagles to a 90-82 road win over North Dakota on Sunday with team highs of 20 points and five assists; she shot 8-of-16 from the field.
Mary Baskerville, Providence, Jr., F
Baskerville led the Friars to a 2-1 opening week mark, averaging 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks; her 18 points against Bryant on Sunday were a game high.
Raven Farley, St. John's, Sr., F
Farley posted game highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds in the Red Storm's season-opening road win at Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday.
The shooting guard who always exhibited an abundance of potential was selected the BIG EAST Honor Roll on Monday after scoring a career-high 24 points in No.19/19 DePaul's 93-91 loss to No. 13/14 Texas A&M on Saturday.
It signified that the explosive scorer from Solon, Ohio turned in one of the top five performances of the week in the conference after shooting a blistering 10-of-15 from the field including 4-of-7 from deep.
This was also the Blue Demons' first BIG EAST accolade on the first week the league announced its awards.
Bekelja has mostly been a valuable role player in coach Doug Bruno's program her first three years, although she started eight games in 2019-20.
Bruno has been forecasting a breakout year for Bekelja, and her season debut might be an early sign of things to come.
Bekelja and her teammates take on Chicago State this afternoon at 2 p.m. at Wintrust Arena.
BIG EAST Women's Basketball Player of the Week
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova, So., F
The BIG EAST's top returning scorer and reigning Freshman of the Year picked up where she left off in 2019-20, averaging 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and .595 shooting in wins over Rider and at Quinnipiac last week. The Villanova sophomore began the year with a 28-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Broncs on Wednesday, before going for 25 and 10 against the Bobcats on Sunday, including the game-clinching free-throws in the final nine seconds. Siegrist's scoring average currently ranks 14th nationally, fifth among players with multiple game appearances, while she's one of 12 players in Division I already with multiple double-doubles.
BIG EAST Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week
Nia Clark, Xavier, R-Fr., G
In her first game in a Xavier uniform, Clark scored a team-high 14 points and registered a game-high 10 steals – the second-highest total by a Division I player this season – as the Musketeers scored an 81-73 win at Detroit Mercy on Wednesday. Clark, a transfer from Miami (Ohio), was 6-of-13 from the field, draining her one three-point attempt, and added four assists in 31 minutes of action.
BIG EAST Women's Basketball Weekly Honor Roll
Dee Bekelja, DePaul, Sr., G
Bekelja scored a game-high 24 points off 10-of-15 shooting while adding five rebounds as the 19th-ranked Blue Demons came up just shy of 13th-ranked Texas A&M on Saturday, 93-91.
Jordan King, Marquette, So., G
King led the Golden Eagles to a 90-82 road win over North Dakota on Sunday with team highs of 20 points and five assists; she shot 8-of-16 from the field.
Mary Baskerville, Providence, Jr., F
Baskerville led the Friars to a 2-1 opening week mark, averaging 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks; her 18 points against Bryant on Sunday were a game high.
Raven Farley, St. John's, Sr., F
Farley posted game highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds in the Red Storm's season-opening road win at Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday.
Players Mentioned
G
/ WOMEN'S BASKETBALLDePaul Women's Basketball vs. Providence Game Highlights - 3.6.26
Friday, March 06
DePaul Women's Basketball at Georgetown Game Highlights - 3.1.26
Monday, March 02
DePaul Women’s Basketball vs. Butler Postgame Press Conference.
Thursday, February 26
DePaul Women’s Basketball Game Highlights vs. Butler - 02.25.26
Thursday, February 26