Villa Maria College sophomore Shaquana Owens (Buffalo, NY/Tapestry Charter) made history this past week at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Basketball Tournament, eclipsing 1,000 career points in just two seasons. Owens eclipsed the 1,000 point mark in an 18-point performance against second-seeded Penn State Lehigh Valley in the Final Four on Friday evening, a day after scoring 22 in an Elite 8 victory over third-seeded Penn State Brandywine.
Owens, a graduate of Tapestry Charter School in Buffalo, has scored 1,006 points in two seasons with the Villa program, becoming the first basketball player for either the men’s or women’s program to reach 1,000. In the process, Owens also corralled her 500th career rebound as well, bumping her total up to 508.
In just two seasons, Owens has posted six games of 30 or more points and has 25 double-doubles. Recently named a USCAA First Team All-American, Owens scored a career-high 34 points this season in a win at Genesee Community College on January 23rd. She also recorded her first triple-double of her career in a come-from-behind win at SUNY Delhi on January 28th. She finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals to go along with eight blocked shots.
This season, in 27 games, Owens finished with 602 points, 227 made field goals and 84 made three pointers. All of those ranked first on the team. She helped lead Villa to it’s first appearance in the USCAA National Tournament and a sixth seed. The Vikings defeated third-seeded Penn State Brandywine 67-64 in Thursday’s Elite 8 before falling in the Final Four to second-seeded Penn State Lehigh Valley. Following the tournament, Owens was named to the All-Tournament Team.
In Owens’ first two seasons with Villa – the program’s only two seasons of existence – Owens has helped Villa win 35 games and finish each of the seasons ranked in the National Coaches Poll Top 10. Last year, the Lady Vikings finished the season 17-8 and ranked fifth in the country, narrowly missing out on a national tournament bid. Owens was a USCAA Second Team All-American selection last season.
Through two seasons Owens has tallied 1,006 points, 508 rebounds, 205 steals, 203 assists and 94 blocks.
Along with Owens, teammate and freshman Armoni Jordan (Lockport, NY/South Park) was named a USCAA Second-Team All-American, as was freshman men’s basketball player Eric Waters (Buffalo, NY/Oracle Charter).
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