SALT LAKE CITY — It took until the 11th game of the season, but rookie Marie Ferdinand finally broke into the starting line up for the Utah Starzz of the Women’s National Basketball Association on Friday night.
Ferdinand, whose LSU career ended in March, scored 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting while playing 32 minutes in a 74-64 loss to the Washington Mystics.
On the year, Ferdinand is averaging right at 11 points/game despite playing just 20.5 minutes contest. She is sixth in the league in points per 40 minutes played (20.5). Her average is fourth-best among rookie’s behind only
Lauren Jackson and Semeka Randall of Seattle and Jackie Stiles of Portland.
Her 51.2 percent shooting from the field is best on the team and ranks sixth in the WNBA.
Ferdinand is not the only former Lady Tiger making an impact in the WNBA this summer. Elaine Powell, a 1997 graduate from LSU, is averaging 11.3 points/game for the Orlando Miracle. She is one of just two Orlando
players to start every game this season.
Powell is tops on the Miracle in assists at 2.8 per game and three-point percentage at 43.9 percent.