Following a sensational non-conference slate, Northwestern State sophomore women’s basketball star Vernell Atamah continued sparkling into Southland Conference play.
After a dominant 22-point, 16-rebound performance in a 69-52 win Sunday at reigning Southland Conference regular season champion Southeastern Louisiana, Atamah earned her second SLC Player of the Week award of the season.
Atamah, a sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, wasted no time recording her second consecutive double-double in just one quarter with 10 points and 10 rebounds after the first 10 minutes Sunday.
She kept the Demons close when the team was having trouble shooting the ball in the first, collecting eight offensive boards.
Atamah has scored at least 20 points in six of the eight games this season and 19 in one of the two games she failed to score 20.
Her 21.3 points per game leads the Southland in overall games and her 22 points is SLC play also leads the league.
The 16 boards are the most since current NSU graduate assistant Jasmin Dixon also hauled down 16 last season against Central Arkansas. On the glass, Atamah helped NSU out-rebound SLU 30-9 in the first half and 47-26 for the game.
It is the second straight season that a Demons player earned multiple player of the week awards, as Mya Blake did in 2024-25.
Atamah also took home the first weekly award of the season after averaging 21.3 pointer per game in the first three games of the season against Nebraska, Wichita State and Kansas.
It is her third career honor, first winning it Jan. 20, 2025, after posting a career night against New Orleans, scoring 29 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, as well as recording three steals before scoring 21 points against Southeastern Louisiana (Jan. 18).
Atamah and the Demons are back in action Nov. 15 when they head to McNeese, aiming to go 2-0 in SLC play for the first time since 2015-16.
