BROOKLYN, N.Y. - LIU Brooklyn women's basketball freshman Aja Boyd snagged the final Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week honors, it was announced by the league office Wednesday afternoon. The center earned the honors for the third time this year, the most by a Blackbird freshman since Ashley Palmer in 2008-09.
Boyd accounted for the highest field goal percentage on the circuit last week. Shooting 57.9 percent from the floor, the freshman forward averaged a double-double as the Blackbirds closed out the regular season with a pair of road contests. The 6-foot-2 Boyd, who produced a 12-for-17 clip from the free throw line, accounted for 17.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Finishing with a flourish, Boyd carried the Blackbirds past NYC rival Wagner in the season finale. The rookie post player poured in a career-high 28 points and secured 15 caroms in the 63-58 victory on Grymes Hill. Boyd delivered a pair of key buckets down the stretch, one that tied that game at 53-53 and another that bumped LIU's lead to 61-58 with 00:12 remaining. On Saturday, she fought through foul trouble to tally six points, six rebounds and two blocks on the road at Mount St. Mary's.
The Blackbirds finished the 2016-17 season 6-23 overall, and 5-13 in the Northeast Conference, ending the year winning two of their last three games.