In an impressive feat, Oklahoma’s freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez has been named the SEC Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week for the eighth time. This achievement ties her with Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard for the most awards earned by a freshman in SEC history.
Last week, Chavez showcased her skills by averaging 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 steals over two games. She kicked off the week with a standout performance against Arkansas, contributing 16 points, four assists, and two steals in a game that the Sooners won by 45 points. Notably, she also set a new SEC record by making 49 consecutive free throws.
Chavez followed that up with another solid game against Missouri, where she scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. This marks her 23rd consecutive game with double-digit scoring, demonstrating her consistent performance throughout the season.
Before joining the Sooners, Chavez was already a celebrated talent. She was ranked as the consensus national high school player of the year and held the title as the No. 1 prospect for the 2025 class. Now, she is a strong contender for national freshman of the year, leading all qualifying true freshmen in scoring. Impressively, she has recorded six games with 25 points or more, surpassing the total for every other SEC freshman combined.
According to a recent report from the NCAA, over the past decade, very few freshmen have matched her stats. Chavez is the only one currently averaging at least 18.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game—all while maintaining fewer than 3.0 turnovers per game. This level of performance places her alongside notable players like Paige Bueckers.
The Sooners, now seeded fifth in the SEC Tournament, are gearing up to face the winner of the Mississippi State vs. Florida game. With Chavez’s remarkable skills, her team’s prospects look promising as they head into this critical matchup.
