MACON, Ga. – Northern Kentucky's Rianna Gayheart has earned the Atlantic Sun Conference Newcomer of the Week honor for the second time this season, the league office announced Tuesday.
Gayheart averaged 13.5 points per game as the Norse swept an A-Sun road trip with victories at USC Upstate (81-61) and East Tennessee State (77-76). The freshman guard finished with 16 points for the Norse in the victory at USC Upstate, and she added four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
She then scored 11 points in the comeback win at East Tennessee State on Monday night. Gayheart also set up teammate Melody Doss for the winning shot in the final seconds by driving the lane and kicking the ball out to an open Doss. Gayheart finished with five assists in that road win, which secured the Norse's first-ever A-Sun road sweep.
Last month, Gayheart earned the A-Sun weekly award after scoring 19 of her career-high 24 points in the second half to lead NKU to a 70-62 victory over USC Upstate. Earlier this season, NKU's Christine Roush also earned the A-Sun's Newcomer of the Week award.
Gayheart averages 7.4 points per game and is tied for the team lead with 49 assists. She is 28-for-68 from 3-point range and has made 78.4 percent of her free throws.
NKU plays at Lipscomb this Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. The Norse are 9-11 overall, 6-5 in the A-Sun.
