Former UConn star Tiffany Hayes honored by WNBA

Former UConn standout Tiffany Hayes has been named the WNBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Month for May.

Atlanta went an Eastern Conference-best 4-1 in May as Hayes tied for the scoring lead among Eastern Conference players at 19.8 points per game. Hayes finished with at least 16 points in each of Atlanta’s five games and led her team outright or shared the team lead in scoring each time. She also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Hayes opened the season with 19 points and six rebounds in an 81-74 win at the Connecticut Sun on May 13, followed by a game-high 23 points to go with six rebounds and five assists in a 91-83 road victory over the Chicago Sky on May 19.  Her highest-scoring game of the month came on May 27, when she tallied 24 points and added six rebounds as Atlanta defeated the defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks 75-73.

It is the first player of month away won by Hayes. The Western Conference honoree is Sylvia Fowles of Minnesota.

For the month, Fowles paced all West players in rebounding (10.7 rpg) and field goal percentage (.611, 44-of-72).  She also ranked fourth in scoring (20.0 ppg) and second in blocks (2.3 bpg) and steals (2.0 spg).  The 10th-year pro paced the Lynx in scoring in five games and registered four point-rebound double-doubles.