IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Associated Press national player of the week in women's basketball for Week 15 of the season:
CAITLIN CLARK, IOWA
The 6-foot senior guard scored a school record 49 points in the team's win over Michigan that moved her into the top spot on the NCAA career scoring list. She only needed three shots to score the eight points she required to pass Kelsey Plum for No. 1. Clark also had 13 assists in the game.
RUNNER-UP
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina. The 6-7 senior post averaged 17 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks to help the No. 1 Gamecocks rally to beat Tennessee and Georgia. She scored seven points in the final 3:35 of the game to seal the win over Tennessee. Cardoso, who returned from playing for Brazil in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying event, also had seven points and six rebounds in the final quarter against Georgia.
HONORABLE MENTION
Madison Booker, Texas; Liz Kitley, Virginia Tech; Lauryn Taylor, Francis Marion.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Maya Buckhanon, Fisk. Scored a program-record 60 points for any player, male or female, in a win over Southern University at New Orleans. It was most points in an NAIA women’s game since 1993 and two off the NAIA record of Claflin’s Miriam Walker in 1988. The senior power forward, who also had 19 rebounds, now ranks second in NAIA history with 24 made field goals. She also had 37 points and 12 rebounds in a win at Dillard.
___
AP voters: Pat Eaton-Robb, Doug Feinberg, Pete Iacobelli, Hank Kurz, Janie McCauley, Joe Reedy, Teresa M. Walker, John Zenor.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 basketball polls throughout the season. Sign up here.
___
AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball