Editor's note: Charlie Creme, Graham Hays, Michelle Smith and Mechelle Voepel each vote to determine espnW's national player of the week, which is awarded every Monday of the women's college basketball season.
A point a minute is a pretty impressive pace in a college basketball game. In many cases, it can pretty much be defined as the game of your life.
A point a minute over four college basketball games? Well, that is just ridiculous.
But Baylor's Odyssey Sims pulled it off. In 112 minutes of basketball this past week, the senior guard scored 113 points: 33 versus Rice, 22 versus Savannah State, 30 versus Northwestern State, and 28 versus Texas-San Antonio.
And that remarkable feat has earned her espnW's national player of the week honors.
A preseason All-American and the Lady Bears' only returning starter, Sims was set to become Baylor's go-to star this season after four starters graduated from the 2012-13 squad. Sims is the player who will keep Baylor among the ranks of the national elite, and the one who will determine whether Baylor thrives or slides in the post-Brittney Griner era.
So far, Sims and Baylor have thrived.
The dynamic Sims has led the Lady Bears to a 6-0 start in what has to be considered the momentum-building part of the schedule. Baylor will face much stiffer tests in the Big 12 and in nonconference matchups against Kentucky and Connecticut, but right now Sims is making sure that it's smooth sailing.
She's hitting better than 50 percent of her shots from the floor, making both her 3-pointers and her free throws.
With 28 points on Saturday night against Texas-San Antonio she extended her streak of double-digit scoring games to 16; she was last held to single digits against Connecticut back on Feb. 18.
Sims has scored at least 20 points in seven straight games and has scored in double figures in the first half of every Baylor game so far this season.
But it's about more than the scoring. Sims now has 492 career assists and needs just two more to break the school record, held by Angela Tisdale (2004-08).
Sims has found a new groove in a new role, sharing point guard duties with Niya Johnson.
"I'm comfortable with both spots," Sims told the Waco Tribune after the win over UTSA. "I just have to learn more plays and know what to do at the 2-spot. … We're just feeding off of each other."
Also considered: Hallie Christofferson, Iowa State; Atonye Nynigifa, UCLA; Jennifer Schlott, Utah State.