Arkansas Tech Natalia Santos named GSC West Division Women’s Basketball Player of the Week

RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech junior forward Natalia Santos has been named this week’s fifth Gulf South Conference West Division Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Wednesday by the league office in Birmingham, Ala.

It is the first time this season that the league has honored a Golden Sun player and the second time Santos has been honored by the league in her career as she was named the West Division Player of the Week on Dec. 9 last season.

Santos, who is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, earns this week’s West Division Player of the Week accolade after recording a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds to help the fifth-ranked Golden Suns to its 69-39 road win this past Saturday at Lambuth University. Against the Lady Eagles, Santos was 6-for-13 from the field and connected on two of her six free throw attempts and added five assists, two blocks and a steal to help Tech improve to 7-1 on the season and collect its second win of the season over Lambuth.

On the season, Santos leads the GSC in scoring as she is averaging 20.3 points per game and she is also averaging 7.1 rebounds per contest and is shooting 59 percent from the field. She has scored in double figures in all eight games this season and has reached double digits in scoring in 24 consecutive games dating to last season and has recorded two double-doubles. The 24 game double figure scoring streak is the longest current streak in the league.

In addition to Santos, West Alabama senior guard Mystee Dale earns her third consecutive East Division Player of the Week honor. Dale was honored after scoring 22 points, pulling down 10 rebounds and dishing out nine assists in the Lady Tigers 77-67 win this past Saturday at Christian Brothers.

Santos and her Golden Suns teammates return to action on Thursday, Dec. 16 as they play host to Alabama-Huntsville (2-6) in a GSC Crossover game. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at Tucker Coliseum.

Following Thursday’s game, Tech will then play host to North Alabama (5-3) on Friday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. in Tucker Coliseum. The Golden Suns enter the week having won 23 consecutive home games dating to the 2008-09 season. The 23-game homecourt winning streak is tied for the fourth longest in school history and is the second longest active streak in the league behind Delta State’s 53-game streak.