Huge Performances

(St. Louis, MO) – Great performances high-lighted the first weekend of basketball for the Valley Conferences. Double-doubles, dramatic performances and emerging stars were the norm this weekend.

Missouri Valley Conference

Evansville’s Egiidjus Mockevicius earned the MVC’s first double-double of the season and this week’s ‘Player of the Week’ honors when the big Lituanian scored 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the Purple Aces’ 15 point win over Southeast Missouri. The 6’10 senior blocked six shots.

Bradley won its first game under Head Coach Brian Wardle and the one point win over Ball State was sparked by the Valley’s ‘Newcomer of the Week’, Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye. The 6’3 freshman scored 18 points in his 38 minutes of play.

Ohio Valley Conference

Belmont’s big win over Marquette came as OVC ‘Player of the Week’, Evan Bradds tied a career high in scoring 24 points. Last season’s nation leading field goal percentage shooter converted 10 of 13 shots and went 4 for 4 from the free throw line.

Tennessee State’s Wayne Martin burst on to the OVC scene by recording a rare 20-20 double-double. The 6’7 junior was named ‘Newcomer of the Week’ for scoring 27 points and hauling in 21 rebounds in the Tigers’ 86-71 win over Loyola (MD). The 21 caroms were the most by an OVC player in almost five years. Kenneth Faried (Morehead State) had 23 in a game on January 27, 2011.

Jared Hamilton (Jacksonville State) grabbed the ‘Freshman of the Week’ award for averaging a double-double in the Gamecocks first two games. Hamilton averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds as JSU split their first two games.

Great Lakes Valley

Nationally ranked Bellarmine started its season off with a pair of victories and junior guard Rusty Troutman was named GLVC ‘Player of the Week’ for setting a career high of 27 points in the first game of the season and then topping it with 28 points in the next game.

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