Nov. 30, 2015
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State's McKynzie Fort (Fontana, Calif.) has been named Mountain West Women's Basketball Player of the Week for her stellar performances in three games from Nov. 23-29, as announced Monday by the league office. With her award, the Aztec sophomore garnered weekly conference accolades for the first time in her career and first for SDSU this season.
Fort averaged 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.3 steals, helping the Aztecs to a 2-1 record last week. The 5-9 guard was the team's top scorer in all three games, connecting on 66.7 percent of her shots on 24 of 36 field-goal attempts, all inside the three-point arc.
After recording 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting and four rebounds in a tough road loss to Washington on Nov. 23, Fort almost single-handedly propelled the Scarlet and Black to a 64-54 triumph over North Dakota State in the opener of the SDSU Thanksgiving Classic last Friday, posting a game-high 20 points and a personal-best five steals. Against the Bison, the Etiwanda High alumna drained a collegiate-high 10 field goals on 12 tries (83.3 pct) and matched her season best with four rebounds.
Not to be outdone, Fort capped off her brilliant week with a 16-point, 4-steal effort in the Aztecs' thrilling 63-57 overtime victory over Wisconsin on Sunday, sinking 6 of 11 attempts from the floor to go with four clutch free throws. Against the Badgers, she converted two critical and-one opportunities, including one to punctuate a timely 23-7 run that erased an 11-point deficit in the second half.
For the season, Fort is averaging a team-high 15.7 points per game on 50.7 percent shooting and leads SDSU with 15 steals. She now has four double-digit scoring performances this year and 24 for her career.
Fort and the Aztecs return to action on Thursday, Dec. 3, when they battle San Diego in the annual city showdown at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena. Opening tip is set for 6:30 p.m. PT.