Charlotte guard Dazia Lawrence wins AAC Player of the Week honors

The Charlotte 49ers have been in a battle in the AAC all season. There aren’t any days off as there’s a tough matchup every time they step on the floor. More times than not, the team has managed to fight through adversity and come out with a victory — they're 16-12 on the season and hoping a late push can get them into the tournament.

A main reason for Charlotte’s impressive season has been junior guard Dazia Lawrence. The upperclassmen continue to perform at a high level on a night-to-night basis. This past week, Lawrence was named AAC Player of the Week while averaging 24 points, five rebounds, and four assists, clinching two wins in the process. Because of Lawrence leading the way, the 49ers continue to establish themselves as a contender in their conference. 

Dazia Lawrence is one of the brightest stars in the AAC

What makes Dazia Lawrence a standout talent in the AAC? Since she joined Charlotte in 2020, she’s improved in every aspect of her game. Lawrence has the mentality of a winner. Sure, she could always have the ball in her hands and take over the game at any moment. Instead, she understands situations and doesn’t mind being a team player. This season, Lawrence has shown her progression as she’s averaging 18.5 points per game on 43 percent shooting. 

With the ball in her hands, Dazia Lawrence can be a jack of all trades as a scorer and playmaker. Offensively, she’s very explosive with her first step and can blow by defenders with a blur. Lawrence has shown that she can score efficiently at all three levels. If one were to look at her box score numbers and never seen her play, it’s evident she can put the ball in the basket. Lawrence is at her best when she can become a master in the mid-range and elevate over defenders. Once a defender goes under a ball screen, she has the green light to take advantage of the open opportunity to score inside the three-point line. 

Off the ball, Lawrence is just as dangerous. Defenders must always keep a body attached to her. Her quickness and acceleration make it difficult to stay in front of her. Lawrence works well by coming off of pin-down screens while also cutting backdoor for easy opportunities inside. 

The beauty of Dazia Lawrence’s play is that it translates on both ends of the floor. While we love her for the way she scores the basketball, she’s also great at getting stops on the other end. As a leader, it’s important to bring energy to both ends. Lawrence is at her best on the defensive end when her hands are active and applies pressure. She’s averaging 1.8 steals per game this season and has nine games where she’s recorded three or more. 

What Lawrence did this recent week to win Player of the Week is just a small sample of what she’s provided all season. She continued to take her game to another level by displaying terrific all-around performances. Laurence has scored 30+ points three times this season. One of those performances that stands out is her 30-point nine-rebound performance in a win over Memphis. In a high-level contest against a conference rival, the 49ers star made huge plays down the stretch to lead her team to a victory. 

As Lawrence has continued to lead the way, the 49ers have continued to climb the rankings of the AAC. They currently sit in the top five and sit right behind contenders like Temple, North Texas, Tulsa, and UAB. As the Conference Tournament begins, Lawrence has a chance to be a standout talent. Her hunger and energy will be leading factors in carrying Charlotte as a potential AAC champion.