Ricketts is the Big 5 Player of the Week

Payne set a new career high in points with 24 over Fordham

Philadelphia, PA - The La Salle women's basketball had an extremely successful weekend and two players were rewarded for their efforts. Senior Meghan Wilkinson (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week and sophomore Crista Ricketts (Douglasville, PA/Daniel Boone) earned Big 5 Player of the Week honors.

The Explorers are coming off a weekend in which they upset George Washington 65-53 and backed that victory up with a 77-48 routing of Fordham. George Washington had been ranked as high as first place in the A-10 West Division this season and is currently third, while La Salle is fifth.

Wilkinson's award inculded the George Washington and the St. Bonaventure games. In the upset of the Colonials she set a new career high in rebounds with 12 and recorded her first double double of the season as she added 14 points. She hit back to back three point baskets to spark and 11-0 run in the second half that put La Salle up by 13 with 10 minutes remaining.

Wilkinson also led all scorers in La Salle's overtime loss to the Bonnies. She netted 23 points, 21 of which came from behind the three point arc. She again drained back to back three point baskets at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. On the week she averaged 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

Ricketts, who earned Big 5 Player of the Week, was honored for her efforts in the George Washington and Fordham games. She led all scorers as the Explorers downed the Colonials with 25 points and was just one rebound shy of her third double double of the season as she pulled down nine.

Ricketts tallied 13 points in La Salle's victory over Fordham, shooting 75% from the field. She was also 7-8 from the charity stripe and dished out three assists. She continues to lead La Salle in scoring and rebounds, averaging 16.0 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Ricketts is the second Big 5 player of the week this season as junior Davineia Payne earned the honor earlier this season. Payne also had a record setting weekend as she set a new career high in points with 24 against Fordham.

La Salle's two victories this weekend marks the first time the team has won two in a row in 2005. The victory over George Washington was the first victory in 24 years over the Colonials and only the second in series history.

La Salle improved to 10-11 overall and 4-6 in the conference with the victories over the weekend. The Explorers look to gain two more victories in the conference this weekend as they travel to Xavier on Friday and Dayton on Sunday, both games set to tip-off at noon.