ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lauren Orlando '09
Entering her final season on the women's basketball team, forward Lauren Orlando '09 is not holding anything back."I don't want any regrets on the court [this year]," Orlando said.
This determination showed last weekend, when she earned Most Valuable Player honors at the Brandeis Tip-Off Tournament, helping the team defeat Widener University and No. 15 Bowdoin College en route to the Judges' sixth Tip-Off Tournament win in the past seven years.
Orlando averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds last weekend, including 12 points and eight rebounds in the championship game against Bowdoin.
"I go on the court, and I really try not to think about rebounds or scoring," Orlando said. "I just think about playing and whatever I can do, and that's it."
Orlando also showed an ability to draw fouls, going to the free-throw line five times against Bowdoin and a team-high eight times against Widener. She made nine of her 13 free throw attempts and is the only player on the team with double-digit free throw attempts so far this season.
"I always go to attack the hoop and try to vary my play," Orlando said. "Free throws is just how you attack the rim, so I think [Sunday] I was playing very physical."
Looking ahead, Orlando knows that this season the Judges will face tough challenges from their conference foes.
"All the [UAA] teams are going to be very good this year," Orlando said. "So you have to be ready to play everyone."
"I am going out every game, and I want [to] attack the hoop both offensively and defensively and show the other teams what Brandeis basketball is all about," she wrote in an e-mail.
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