Bies Named Big Ten Conference Player of the Week

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- University of Michigan women's basketball junior center LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS) has earned the streaking Wolverines' first Big Ten Conference Player of the Week honor this season for her performances during the week ending Dec. 9. Bies averaged 22.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting .556 (15-27) from the field and .833 (15-18) from the free-throw line in wins over Washington State and Washington.

Bies

Bies led the 16th-ranked Wolverines to their seventh straight victory on Sunday (Dec. 9) with a career-high 27 points and a game-best 11 boards as Michigan defeated Washington 71-70 at Bank of America Arena in Seattle, Wash. Bies sank a pair of free throws -- points 26 and 27 -- with 10 seconds remaining to lift the Wolverines (7-1) to the comeback victory over the Huskies and give head coach Sue Guevara her 100th career victory.

Bies, who is shooting .842 (48-57) from the free throw line this season, drilled 9 of 10 from the charity stripe in the win over Washington. Additionally, Bies 27-point, 11-rebound performance on Sunday was her team-leading fourth double-double of the season and 15th for her career.

The career night by Bies was preceded by her team-leading 18-point performance to go with eight rebounds in Michigan's 81-59 domination of Washington State on Friday (Dec. 7) in Seattle.

The Big Ten weekly honor is the third Bies has earned in her career at Michigan, winning once each in her freshman, sophomore and now junior campaigns. A preseason All-Big Ten selection by the conference coaches, Bies is leading the Wolverines with 17.8 points and 8.6 rebounds and is the only Wolverine to start all eight games this season.

Bies and the rest of her Wolverine teammates look for their eighth straight win this Wednesday (Dec. 12, 7 p.m.) when they take on Toledo at Savage Hall in Toledo, Ohio. Toledo is 3-4 on the season, including a 71-65 upset of then-No. 5 Duke at Savage Hall back on Nov. 18.

Michigan then travels to Louisiana State (No. 21 AP, No. 19 USA Today/ESPN) on Sunday (Dec. 16, 2 p.m. CST) in Baton Rouge, La., where it will be trying to beat its second Top-25 opponent this month. Michigan defeated then-No. 23 and defending national champion Notre Dame 78-63 on Dec. 2 at the Women's Basketball Showcase in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423

University of Michigan Athletics

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