Junior guard Krista Jay of the George Mason women's basketball team has been named the Connection Newspapers/George Mason University Player of the Week.

Jay has been a leading force in the Patriots early success this season. She has helped guide the team to a 4-2 overall record including a championship in the Hosss/Red Flash Classic over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The 5-10 guard from Artemas, PA, has been the teams leading scorer in the past three games. In the 64-59 upset win over George Washington, Jay poured in a season high 24 points to lead the Patriots past the Colonials. In that game she hit four-of-six three pointers and six-from-seven from the foul line as well as grabbing six rebounds.

Jay was the only player in double figures vs LaSalle with 10 points, and in Saturdays win at Maryland-Eastern Shore, she had a team high 12 points. She hit eight straight points to open the second half to help build up a 20 point Patriot lead. George Mason went on to beat the Hawks, 79-50. Jay finished the game with 12 points, nine of them in the second half.

Shes currently averaging 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 three-pointers per game.

Kristas shown she can do some great things, and she will only get better as the season goes on, said assistant coach Marcell Harrison. Were expecting great things from her this season not only as a leader for our team on the court, but off the court as well.

In her third season with the Patriots, Jay already ranks No. 18 in the George Mason record books with 689 points. Shes also No. 4 in three pointers (83), No. 27 in steals (69) and No. 30 in rebounds (218).

Jay was a Colonial Athletic Association all-rookie team selection as a freshman and last season she was second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game. In the CAA she ranked seventh in scoring and was first in three-point field goal accuracy (41 percent) as well as fifth for three-pointers per game (1.6) and seventh for free throw percentage (80 percent).

Women's basketball contact: Lisa S. McQuiggan (993-3246)