UMBC

Matea Pender has been named America East Wilson Co-Player of the Week.

Matea Pender is averaging 22.5 ppg over her last two contests.

Boston, Mass. – The America East Conference announced today that UMBC Women’s Basketball junior forward Matea Pender (Sibenik, Croatia/Croatian National Team) was named Wilson Co-Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 28, 2004.  Pender, with a game-high 25 points, led UMBC to their second-consecutive win with an 87-52 victory over Morgan State last week.

Pender against Morgan State scored 20 of her team-leading 25 points in the first half as UMBC scored 50-first stanza points to open a 30-point lead at the break.  Pender shot 80.0 percent from the floor with 8-of-10 shooting and 4-of-6 from behind the arc in the first period.  She added five second-half points with a trey and two free throws.

Pender over the last two games is averaging 22.5 ppg as she registered 20-point performances in both those contests.  Pender during that stretch is 17-of-27 (62.0 percent) from the field and 7-of-13 (52.8 percent) from three-point range. 

On the season Pender is averaging 18.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg, shooting 65.6 percent (21-of-32) from the field and 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from outside the arc. 

UMBC returns to action Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. against Navy at UMBC RAC Arena.