Page Earns Inaugural Big 12 AwardPage Earns Inaugural Big 12 Award
Women's Basketball

Page Earns Inaugural Big 12 Award

Lincoln - Nebraska senior Danielle Page captured the first Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Player-of-the-Week award on Monday after an outstanding opening weekend to the 2007-08 season.

Page, a 6-2 forward from Monument, Colo., averaged 23.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game to help Nebraska to a sweep of UTEP and Ole Miss at the Devaney Center over the weekend.

On Sunday, Page erupted for a career-high 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds and blocking two shots. Along with her sparkling play on offense, Page held 6-3 Rebel center Shawn Goff to just four points and four rebounds on the afternoon. In two exhibition games, Goff had averaged 20 points and 10.5 boards per contest.

Page's effort against 2007 NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Ole Miss followed on the heels of a then-career high 19-point, nine-rebound performance while making her first career start on Friday. Page hit 8-of-14 shots from the field against the Miners, who returned four starters from a squad that finished with a 22-8 record in 2006-07. On the defensive end, Page blocked one shot and drew a pair of offensive fouls, neutralizing UTEP's 6-5 senior center Izabela Piekarska to just six points and one rebound.

Page also opened the week by scoring 20 points in the Huskers' exhibition win over Nebraska-Omaha on Monday.

Page and the Huskers close their three-game season-opening homestand on Saturday when they play host to another traditional Southeastern Conference power Florida. Tip-off at the Devaney Center in Lincoln is set for 5:05 p.m.