Culver-Stockton’s Ortiz named Heart of America Athletic Conference player of the week

CANTON, Mo. — Culver-Stockton College guard Aaliyah Ortiz has been named the WinWon Heart of America Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 21-27, the league announced Monday.

Ortiz, a graduate student from Tucson, Ariz., led the Wildcats to two victories. She averaged 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 5.5 steals in victories over William Penn (Iowa) University and Peru State (Neb.) College. She shot 55.6 percent from the field (10 for 18) and was 10 for 10 from the free-throw line in the two games.

In the 84-58 victory over William Penn on Thursday, Jan. 24, Ortiz scored 11 points, dished out nine assists and tied her career-high with seven steals. On Saturday, Jan. 27, Ortiz matched her career-high with 10 assists while scoring 20 points, recording four steals and garnering three blocks in an 83-41 rout of Peru State.

For the season, Ortiz is averaging 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game. She is ranked second in the Heart in assists and steals per game, third in free-throw percentage at 88.3 percent (53-60) and eighth in blocks per game (0.9).

The Wildcats (7-12) will play three games this week, beginning Monday night against Park University at Charles Field House starting at 5:30 p.m. C-SC travels to fourth-ranked Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, before finishing the week with a home game against Benedictine College at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3.