DURHAM, N.C. – For the second time this season and the fifth time in her collegiate career, Duke Blue Devils senior guard Chelsea Gray has been selected Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Week by a vote of the Blue Ribbon Panel as announced on Monday.
Gray guided the second-ranked and undefeated Blue Devils (5-0) to victories over Vanderbilt (88-69) and Marquette (78-61) last week.
Against both teams, Gray missed finishing with successive triple-doubles by only three rebounds (averaging 13.0 points, 12.5 assists, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals).
Against Vanderbilt, a team that was receiving votes in the AP top 25, Gray tallied 14 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, while rounding out the weekend with 13 assists, 12 points and nine rebounds on the road against Marquette.
It marked the first time in her career she recorded back-to-back double-doubles and was the eighth and ninth times she has collected double-figure assist games, both of which were the two highest single-game totals in the league this year.
Gray’s 9.4 assists per game currently leads the ACC while her 3.6 steals per game average currently ranks her tied for first in that category.
Four Blue Devils posted to Naismith Trophy Watch list
The Atlanta Tipoff Club also released the Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch List on Monday with four Blue Devils players ranked among the 50 posted on the preseason chart.
Gray, along with fellow guard Tricia Liston and forwards Haley Peters and Elizabeth Williams were each selected and comprised the largest contingent from one team on the list.
A two-time All-America, Gray has opened the 2013-14 season averaging 13.2 points, 9.4 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 3.6 steals in five games played.
Earning Naismith accolades for the first time in her career, Liston is currently averaging a team-high 17.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Blue Devils.
The Norfolk Regional All-Tournament Team selection and All-ACC selection in 2013 leads Duke with two 20-point performances on the season.
Liston is shooting 53.1 percent beyond the arc and averaging 3.4 three-point scores per game.
Peters, who is a two-time All-ACC selection, collected an ACC-best 20 rebounds to go along with 17 points scored against USC Upstate earlier in the season, while tallying a double-double against Alabama (12 points and 12 rebounds).
Peter is averaging 11.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals on the year.
As the reigning two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-America, Williams, recently finishes with a season-high 23 points, four blocks and three steals in against Marquette.
She is currently averaging 14.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals.