Drexel’s Amaris Baker headlines women’s basketball starting five for Week 13

These women’s basketball players posted big-time performances and were named to the NCAA.com starting five this week.

Amaris Baker, Drexel

Amaris Baker led Drexel to a 2-0 week against two of the Coastal Athletic Conference’s top teams this past weekend, averaging 21.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

The senior guard posted team-highs in both games, with 19 points against Charleston, including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:06 to go that led to a 58-56 win on Jan. 24.

Baker followed two days later with 24 points against Elon on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor as the Dragons rolled to a 64-37 win. Baker played for 67 minutes over the two contests and assisted the Drexel defense in holding opponents to just 27-for-114 from the field and 6-for-45 from deep.

The Philadelphia native leads the CAA and sits 33rd nationally in points per game, averaging 19.0 through her first 17 games.

Drexel, 9-8 overall and 5-2 in CAA play, next travels to Boston to play the Northeastern Huskies on Jan. 31.

Lauren Betts, UCLA

UCLA junior Lauren Betts averaged 27.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.0 blocks per game shooting 75 percent from the field (36-of-48) in UCLA’s 3-0 road trip to the East Coast.

The center started the week out with a near-triple-double, recording 24 points, nine rebounds and a program-record-setting nine blocks in a 72-57 win over No. 25 Baylor at the Coretta Scott King Classic in Newark, New Jersey on Jan. 20.

Betts then followed with a 25-point, 13-rebound outing at Rutgers in an 84-66 win for the Bruins. It was her 11th double-double of the season.

The star post finished the road swing with a career-high 33 points on 14-of-15 shooting to help take down No. 8 Maryland, 82-67 on Sunday. Betts also had seven rebounds, four assists and four blocks in the top-10 victory over the Terps, in what was UCLA’s fifth ranked win of the year.

The No. 1 ranked Bruins return home to Pauley Pavilion to host Minnesota on Feb. 1.

Gianna Kneepkens, Utah

Utah junior guard Gianna Kneepkens posted back-to-back 30 point games last week in leading the Utes to a pair of wins.

Kneepkens started the week by putting up a double-double against Kansas with a then career-high 30 points and a season-high 10 rebounds as Utah won at home, 79-61….