IRVINE, Calif. – After a thrilling Saturday performance that helped Concordia University Irvine clinch a spot in the upcoming PacWest women's basketball tournament, Asia Darcuiel was named PacWest Player of the Week on Monday.

Darcuiel scored a career-high 45 points to help Concordia stun conference rival Point Loma 90-84 in overtime on Saturday, accomplishing a ton of individual and team marks in the process.

The 45 points are the most for any Concordia women's basketball player in the program's NCAA DII era. It ranks third all-time in the record books and is the most in one game since 1994. Former Concordia star Gitte Mejer scored 51 points and 47 points in a pair of games over 30 years ago.

"It was such a great feeling to be able to lock in from the very start and get into that flow state," said Darcuiel. "Everything just felt smooth and controlled, and I was fully present in the moment. It means a lot when my teammates trust me to keep the ball in my hands and make plays for us, that confidence from them fuels me. Being able to come back home and have all my family and friends in the crowd cheering me on made it even more special. Hearing them and feeling that support definitely helped push me through the game. But more than anything, it was a complete team win. We played together, we communicated, and everyone embraced their role. That's what made it so special."
 
"I've never scored that many points before at any level, so it's honestly surreal," added Darcuiel." To know it's the most in CUI WBB program's D2 era and third most all-time makes it even more special. I'm really grateful for my teammates who trusted me and put me in great positions to succeed, and for my coaches who continue to believe in me. It's an awesome accomplishment, but I'm most excited to keep building with this team and continue improving together.

Darcuiel also scored the most points for any women's basketball player in a PacWest Conference game in over 15 years. The 45 points are second-most all-time according to the league, behind only Samantha Murphy's 49 points in a game back in 2010.
 
"Asia represents everything we value in our program," said CUI head women's basketball coach Christine Collins-Kiernan. "We've been fortunate to coach some incredible freshmen here at Concordia, and she has stepped up in so many ways to help us turn a corner this season. On one of the biggest stages so far, in a high-pressure environment, she played with the poise and confidence of a seasoned player.
 
"She has an incredible growth mindset, is a phenomenal teammate, and is driven by making sure the people around her can count on her. That 'we before me' approach shows up in everything she does. We are so proud of her—not just for earning this recognition, but for the consistency she's shown all season," added Collins-Kiernan. "More than anything, she should be proud of herself. It's a privilege to coach someone who does things the right way—emotionally, socially, and physically."
 
"This is just the beginning for Asia, and a glimpse of the special career she's going to have."
 
CUI closes the regular season with a Thursday date at Biola before hosting HPU for Senior Night this Saturday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. PT.

After that, it's on to the PacWest Conference Championships hosted by Point Loma. CUI projects to be either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed and will play in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 5th.

CUI was picked to finish 10th in the PacWest Preseason Poll voted on by the league's head coaches. The motivation to prove the votes were wrong clearly was present as the Golden Eagles are flying high as the calendar flips to March in the coming days.

CLICK HERE for the full CUI women's basketball schedule