Syracuse center Uche Izoje earns 8th ACC Rookie of the Week
For the eighth time this season, Syracuse center Uche Izoje was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week. Avery Magee | Photo Editor
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For the eighth and final time this season, Syracuse center Uche Izoje was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week, the conference announced Monday. Izoje capped her first regular season campaign with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Notre Dame Thursday before scoring a game-high 24 points with 12 boards in SU’s blowout win over Boston College Sunday.
With her performance against the Fighting Irish, Izoje set SU’s program record for rebounds by a freshman, which current Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has held since the 1984-85 season.
In South Bend, Izoje was the Orange’s best chance at keeping up with ND’s Hannah Hidalgo, who was named this week’s ACC Player of the Week. Though Izoje collected her 12th double-double of the year, it wasn’t enough to top the Fighting Irish, who doubled their five-point halftime lead to hand SU a 72-62 loss.
The defeat started Syracuse’s first losing streak of the year, but the Orange promptly ended it with a 25-point victory over BC. SU held a 22-point lead with one quarter left, giving Legette-Jack a chance to rest Izoje for the entire final frame. She paired her aforementioned 24-point double-double with three blocks and led the Orange in scoring for the 12th time and rebounding for the 20th time this year.
Izoje’s now won the ACC’s last two weekly honors, extending the program record she set with her fourth on Jan. 5. The center will be a crucial piece of Syracuse’s efforts to earn its first win in the ACC Tournament since Legette-Jack took over in 2022.
