Black College Sports Weekly
Sandy Pugh has been the head women’s basketball coach at Prairie View A&M since 2018. She is a successful coach, who have spent 18 seasons at Southern University (2000-2018) before joining PVAM, where she amassed seven SWAC regular season titles, four SWAC tournament championships, four NCAA Tournament berths and four NIT appearances, and over 300 victories.
Pugh’s Panthers will be in Minnesota to play the Gophers Friday, Dec. 20, 2 pm local time.
“I know we have the talent to come in there and compete,” Pugh told the MSR earlier this year during the conference virtual media day. “You’ll see a team that sharing the basketball, getting the ball up the court.”
According to their coach, 6-4 frosh center Amauri Williams, who leads the team in scoring (10.3 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg) and 6-2 junior forward/center Adreanna Waddle is “the strongest backcourt in the (SWAC),” stressed Pugh.
Wheeler continues to impress
Minneapolis native Kierra Wheeler on Monday was named Defensive Player of the Week by the MEAC. In two wins, the 6-3 forward averaged 17.5 points, 11 rebounds, 3.5 steals, 4.5 blocks and 2 assists. Against Shaw, she tied her career-high 17 boards as part of her double-double performance (Wheeler added 22 points).
Wheeler also was named Women’s HBCU Player of the Week.
“Wheeler improved her game throughout her college career and this year has taken her defense to a whole new level. She’s an integral part of what Norfolk State is doing on both ends … her two-way impact,” said the released statement on Monday.
Rob Knox added on Wheeler for his piece in The Next, “Wheeler is a throwback. The more contact she takes, the better she thrives. She resembles a miniature version of Rebekkah Brunson,” the five-time WNBA champion and legendary rebounding machine, now an assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx, “with her work ethic, instincts for the ball and buzzing activity.”
Teammate Diamond Johnson, a 5-5 senior guard was named Monday MEAC Player of the Week, and Howard freshman guard, 5-7 Saniyah King the conference’s Rookie of the Week.
The MEAC also announced its weekly men’s basketball honors: Howard senior guard Marcus Dockery, Player of the Week; Howard freshman guard Blake Harper, Rookie of the Week; and South Carolina State soph forward Drayton Jones, Defensive Player of the Week.