Clara Strack has been hooping all season. Thus far, the Kentucky women’s basketball center has averaged a double-double, putting up 18.3 points and 11 rebounds per game.
That’s momentum she carried into the Thanksgiving break, as the Wildcat big was named MVP of the Music City Classic in Nashville.
The 14th-ranked Wildcats ran through the six-team tournament, finishing 2-0. Kentucky beat Arizona State 77-61 on Tuesday and wiped 19th ranked Illinois 76-53 the following day.
Related: Five things Kentucky fans should be thankful for
“You’ve gotta come play every day,” Strack said after the win against Illinois. “We knew this was going to be a really big game for us. We knew this could be another statement game for us, so I think we all just came to play.”
No individual was better than Strack, the 19-year-old transfer from Virginia Tech. The 6’5″ center averaged 24.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3 assists and two blocks per game in Nashville. She had a double-double in each game, bringing her season tally up to four in just seven contests.
Strack’s pick-and-roll teammate, senior point guard Georgia Amoore, was named to the Music City Classic All-Tournament Team as well. And like Strack, Amoore had a strong run in both games as well, averaging 14 points, 8.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per contest.