Dec. 4, 2000

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UNLV sophomore guard Constance Jinks was selected as the Mountain West Conference women's basketball player of the week, the league announced on Monday.

Jinks, a 5-7 guard from Chicago, earned tournament MVP honors after leading her team to victories over Northeastern and Northwestern at the Roger L. White Invitational and keeping UNLV's perfect 5-0 record in tact.

Against Northeastern, Jinks hit two clutch free throws with 12 seconds remaining to put her team up by four and seal a come-from-behind victory for the Rebels. Jinks made her last six free throws after missing her first, going 6-for-7 from the line. She also recorded a career-high six steals to go along with eight points and five rebounds.

Against Northwestern, Jinks almost single-handedly lifted her team to victory. Down by as many as eight points in the second half, Jinks scored 19 of her career-high 33 points over the game's last 10 minutes to highlight a 29-11 run by UNLV to win the game and the tournament. She shot an amazing .684 (13-19) from the field and .778 (7-9) from the line, and established new career highs for points (33), assists (7), field goals made (13), field goals attempted (19) and free throws made (7).

Her 33 points are the second-most by any player in the Mountain West Conference this season and lift her season scoring average to 16.8 ppg, also the second-best mark in the league. Her 13 field goals tie the league record, shared with five others.

Jinks becomes only the second Lady Rebel ever to earn MWC Player of the Week honors. Teammate Linda Fr?hlich captured the award three times last season.