BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama A&M graduate guard Nigeria Jones (Lincoln, Neb.) and senior forward Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.) delivered performances that have earned them a sweep of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Basketball Weekly Awards as announced by the league on Wednesday, December 15.
 
Jones earned Player of the Week while Lewis claimed the second Impact Player of the Week of her career. With the latter being in its second season recognizing the accomplishments of a player that made a noticeable difference in their team's games during the week, it is the first time that the Bulldogs have swept the weekly honors.
 
Previously Lewis earned Impact honors on March 2, 2021 with senior guard Deshawna Harper (Indianapolis, Ind.) earning them this year on November 24.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK - NIGERIA JONES
Jones posted one of the best weeks of her illustrious career as she averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.5 rebounds and 33.0 minutes while shooting .429 from the field (15-of-35), .625 from beyond the arc (5-of-8) and .900 (9-of-10) at the foul line in a pair of games.
 
She opened the week with an outstanding performance in a 72-47 win at Samford (12/9) as she erupted for a career-high 28 points behind perfect 5-of-5 shooting from three and 7-of-8 (.875) at the foul line. Along with that scoring display she dished out a game-high six assists to go with a pair of steals.
 
That strong performance would carry over to her final game of the week, this one at an 8-2 Missouri (12/12) club. In that one she would hit for 16 points to go with three steals, two boards and an assist as the Bulldogs kept the game within striking distance before falling 69-55 to a team that only lost to No. 5/7 Baylor in their second-to-last game.
 
On the season she is averaging 10.0 points, 3.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals to go with a .929 (13-of-14) mark at the line.
 
IMPACT PLAYER OF THE WEEK – DARIAUNA LEWIS
As Alabama A&M continued a season-high eight game road trip, Lewis continued to make an impact in a pair of games this past week. In those contests she would average 9.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, a block and steal and 29 minutes per game.
 
It could be argued that Lewis makes a difference in every game she plays in but in traveling to Samford, she would play a key role against a team the Bulldogs hadn't played in five years and hadn't beaten since the first meeting in 2002.
 
In that one she hit on 4-of-7 (.571) shots from the field, went 5-of-6 (.833) at the foul line and just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. She also added a pair of assists and a block and steal in a commanding 72-47 victory.
 
Facing a Missouri club that featured one of the best rebounders in the country in Aijha Blackwell, Lewis made a difference for her team however she could. While her offense wasn't working as she was held scoreless in the first half, the nation's second leading rebounder last season ripped down six of her 10 boards in the opening 20 minutes.
 
She would add five points, an assist, a block and steal in 31 minutes of action and keep A&M in a game against a Southeastern Conference (SEC) team that came in with eight wins in their first 10 games with one of those losses by two points to No. 5/7 Baylor just two outings ago. That effort had the Bulldogs within seven with 6:29 to play before the Tigers escaped with a 69-55 decision. It was only the second meeting between the two teams and first since 2006.
 
On the year Lewis is averaging 9.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in eight games and starts. Both her rebound and block averages rank third in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
 
Lewis, Jones and the Bulldogs are back in action this weekend as they head to Boca Raton, Florida for the Florida Atlantic Pre-Christmas Tournament from December 19-20. On Sunday, December 19 they will face Southern Miss before taking on the host Owls on Monday, December 20. Both games are slated for 2:30 p.m. tip-offs.
 
2021-22 ALABAMA A&M WEEKLY SWAC HONORS
Player of the Week
Nigeria Jones (12/15)
 
Impact Player of the Week
Dariauna Lewis (12/15)
Deshawna Harper (11/24)