Great Performances

(St. Louis, MO) – Undefeated teams are staying undefeated because of some great performances and one particular player is developing a reputation for the dramatic in this week’s ‘All-Stars of the Valleys’ announcement.

Missouri Valley

Wichita State has run out to a 4-0 start in MVC play. Last week they handed previously unbeaten Evansville and Southern Illinois their first league losses of the season. Those two 14 win teams had their leading scorers held down by outstanding perimeter defense led by this week’s ‘Player of the Week’ Fred VanVleet.

The senior from Rockford, Illinois averaged 11 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and sparked the Shocker’s successful defense against the Valley’s two leading scorers D. J. Balentine of Evansville and Southern Illinois Carbondale’s Anthony Beane. The award was VanVleet’s second of the season.

Missouri State junior Dequon Miller earned his fourth ‘Newcomer of the Week’ award (second in a row) by connecting on two game winning baskets for the Bears. He averaged 11.5 points in MSU’s two games, but broke the hearts of Northern Iowa and Loyola with his second and third game winning shots of the campaign. The win over UNI was the Bears’ first since 2012.

Ohio Valley

Tennessee Tech is the only 4-0 team in the OVC and Torrance Rowe led them to two narrow victories last week. The 6’1 senior averaged 26 points and 4.5 assists in the two road wins. In knocking off Murray State, the Golden Eagles won at CFSB Center for the first time since the 2004-05 season. Rowe is the OVC’s ‘Player of the Week.’

Tahjere McCall sparked Tennessee State to a two game sweep. The Tigers are 3-0 and McCall averaged 21 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Tigers who have now won two more games this year than the past two years combined. McCall joins teammate Wayne Martin as a ‘Newcomer of the Week’ recipient. Martin has won the award two times.

Nick Mayo picks up ‘Freshman of the Week’ awards like Taylor Swift picks up twitter followers. The Eastern Kentucky freshman grabbed his fifth such award this week for averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Colonels. He leads OVC freshman with a 12.3 scoring average.

Mayo shared the award this week with Southern Illinois Edwardsville’s Carlos Anderson. The 6’4 Cougar wing averaged 15.5 points in the SIUE’s two losses.

Great Lakes Valley

Andy Mazurczak earned his second GLVC ‘Player of the Week’ award, and he deserves it! The UW-Parkside senior averaged 25.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and four assists in two critical wins. The Rangers handed Missouri S&T their first lost of the league slate and then defeated Drury in the NCAA Division 2 National Showcase on American Sports Network.

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