Key Players in Key Games

(St. Louis, MO) – This week’s ‘Stars of the Valleys’ came up big in very important games. All three players were involved in pressure filled conference games and shined like the stars they are.

One of the hottest teams in America is the Murray State Racers and no one is playing better basketball than this week’s Ohio Valley Conference ‘player of the week’, Cameron Payne. The Racers took their 13 game winning streak on a western swing to Eastern Illinois and SIU-Edwardsville. Those upstart programs were poised for the upset.

EIU was undefeated in OVC play and SIUE was hoping for a repeat of last season when they handed MSU their first conference loss. Alas, Murray won them both and Cameron Payne showed why he will be the OVC Player of the Year. The 6’3″ sophomore averaged 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in those key road victories. It was his fourth weekly honor this season.

Over in the Missouri Valley, Northern Iowa faced stout challenges from Indiana State and Illinois State. The game against the Sycamores was for sole possession of second place and to remain one game behind Wichita State. Their senior leader, Seth Tuttle led them to a pair victories, catapulting the Panthers to 18th in the latest national rankings. Tuttle averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds for the week, recording his 19th career double-double in UNI’s win over the Redbirds.

Drury’s Kameron Bundy was nothing short of amazing. Scoring 22 points in the Panthers’ win over Maryville was nice work, but Sunday’s performance against UM-St. Louis, was a site I won’t soon forget (I announce UMSL’s games). Heading into Saturday’s game, the two teams were tied for first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s West Division. Bundy was shut out in the first half, and Drury trailed by 16 points.

Bundy scored 20 points in the second half forcing an overtime, where he scored eight more points to push the Panthers into first place in the West.

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