Nike #HLWBB Players of the Week (November 14)
Rachel White
INDIANAPOLIS (November 14, 2022) – Youngstown State’s Lilly Ritz earned the first Nike® #HLWBB Player of the Week honor of the season while Detroit Mercy’s Amaya Burch picked up the first Nike® #HLWBB Freshman of the Week award. Ritz posted 27 points and 20 rebounds in the Penguin’s season-opening victory over Wofford. Burch averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in her first three contests with the Titans.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK | LILLY RITZ | YOUNGSTOWN STATE | SENIOR | FORWARD | CAMBRIDGE, OHIO
Lilly Ritz recorded the only 20-20 game in the country last week as she opened the season with 27 points and 20 rebounds in YSU's victory over Wofford. In addition to being the only 20-20 performance in the country in the first week of the season, it was the first by a Penguin since 2013 and just the third at YSU since 1986. She played less than 27 minutes, meaning she averaged more than a point per minute against a team that was picked to finish second in the SoCon and went to the Women's NIT in 2021-22. Ritz's 27 points represented her highest total as a Penguin, and her 20 rebounds were also her highest at the Division I level and tied for the second-highest total in the country last week. Ritz was 8-for-13 from the field and added 11 free throws, and she also recorded three assists, a steal and a block.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK | AMAYA BURCH | DETROIT MERCY | GUARD | SICKLERVILLE, NJ
Amaya Burch had quite the collegiate debut averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in three games last week reaching double figures in all three contests helping Detroit Mercy to 1-2 non-conference start to the season. She poured in a team-high 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting with four rebounds in her official debut in a Titan uniform at North Dakota. She followed that performance adding 11 points while grabbing seven rebounds at Xavier. Burch then scored a team second-best 12 points with six rebounds helping the Titans to a 70-65 home opening win over Canisius snapping a 24-game home court losing streak.
2022-23 Nike® #HLWBB Players of the Week
November 14 – Lilly Ritz, Youngstown State
2022-23 Nike® #HLWBB Freshmen of the Week
November 14 – Amaya Burch, Detroit Mercy