Tennessee freshman guard Mia Pauldo is starting to make some serious noise-and the rest of the country is taking notice.
On Tuesday, Pauldo was named Tamika Catchings Co-Freshman of the Week by the United States Basketball Writers Association, a national nod that speaks volumes about the impact she’s already making in her debut season. The SEC followed suit, naming her Co-Freshman of the Week after a breakout performance that showcased her full skill set.
In Sunday’s 112-40 rout of Winthrop at Food City Center, Pauldo delivered the kind of game that turns heads and earns hardware. She notched a career-high 18 points and dished out 10 assists, recording her first career double-double in the process. Add four steals to the stat sheet, and you've got a complete performance on both ends of the floor.
What made this outing even more impressive was how efficient and confident she looked from the jump. Pauldo poured in 12 points in the first quarter alone, hitting 3-of-5 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep. She also knocked down four free throws and finished the game with a career-best four made three-pointers-part of a season-high 16 triples for the Lady Vols, the second-most in a single game in program history.
This wasn’t just a hot night-it was a statement. Pauldo had already flashed her scoring ability earlier this month with 14 points against Stanford, but this game showed her evolution as a playmaker and a two-way threat. Her vision, pace, and defensive instincts were all on display, and she looked every bit the floor general Tennessee needs.
These are the first national and conference weekly honors earned by a Lady Vol this season, though the program has already seen Talaysia Cooper and Nya Robertson earn recognition from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association earlier in the year.
For Pauldo, this might just be the beginning. But if Sunday’s performance is any indication, she’s not just adjusting to the college game-she’s already starting to own it.