Ohio State's Davenport Tabbed Player of the Week After Dominating Week

Buckeye sophomore center nearly averages triple-double over two games last week

Ohio State's Jessica Davenport, right, gets one of her 12 blocks against Michigan State's Rene Haynes in the second half Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005, in East Lansing, Mich.

Ohio State's Jessica Davenport, right, gets one of her 12 blocks against Michigan State's Rene Haynes in the second half Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005, in East Lansing, Mich.

Feb. 21, 2005

Jessica Davenport, Ohio State
6-4, SO, C, Columbus, Ohio/Independence

Davenport recorded two impressive performances against top 15 teams this past week, with her first career triple-double against No. 9/9 Michigan State and a near career-high in scoring against No. 14/14 Minnesota.  On the week, Davenport nearly averaged a triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 8.5 blocks.  She was a combined 23-of-33 (.697) from the field in all 80 minutes of play.

Against the Golden Gophers, Davenport set a Value City Arena record with 35 points and added 11 boards, five blocked shots and three assists for her ninth double-double of the season.  This past Sunday in East Lansing, the Buckeye sophomore registered 19 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocked shots against the Spartans, marking the first triple-double recorded by a Big Ten student-athlete since Minnesota's Janel McCarville in last year's Big Ten Tournament, which ironically was recorded against Ohio State.  Davenport's 12 blocks tied a Big Ten record, which was set on three different occasions during the 1988-89 season by Wisconsin's Janetta Johnson.

Since the beginning of Conference play this season, Davenport has recorded the first four Big Ten Player of the Week honors of her career.  She is currently leading all scorers in Conference action with an average of 21.4 points per game and is just one-tenth behind Penn State's Tanisha Wright for the overall scoring lead at 19.2.