Big Wins = Weekly Awards
(St. Louis, MO) – Historic wins and first wins high-light the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conference women’s award winners. Northern Iowa earned its first-ever win over a top-ten, nationally ranked team and Eastern Illinois won its first game of the season.
Their star players were spectacular during those special ‘firsts’.
Players of the Week
Reigning OVC ‘Player of the Year’ Macy McGlone averaged 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as Eastern Illinois split its two games. The Panthers’ win over the Atlantic Ten’s Loyola Chicago was their first victory of the campaign. McGlone earned her third double-double of the season and her second ‘Player of the Week’ award. She leads the OVC in rebounds (9.8 per game) and is second in scoring (20 ppg).
UNI’s Maya McDermott scored 37 points during Northern Iowa’s historic win over Iowa State. McDermott scored 30 in a loss to the Cyclones last season. She is the first Valley player to ever score more than 35 points during a win over a nationally ranked team. The Valley’s ‘Player of the Week’ is also one of five players honored nationally by the USBWA as a member of the Ann Meyers Drysdale national players of the week.
McDermott leads the Valley with a 26.0 points-per-game scoring average.
Newcomer Weekly Women’s Award Winners
Lindenwood is off to a fast start and newcomer Gracy Wernli is a big reason why. The Abilene Christian transfer averaged 15 points and three rebounds during the Lions’ two victories. The OVC ‘Co-Newcomer of the Week’ scored a career high 16 points during a road win at Kansas City.
Western Illinois’ Mia Nicastro has an early stranglehold on the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award. The Saint Louis transfer has won or shared every ‘Newcomer’ weekly award this season. As Western Illinois was sweeping its two games, Nicastro averaged 13 points and 7.5 rebounds.
Missouri State split its two games, but shining in both was Sarah Linthacum. The 6’3 senior averaged 15.5 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Bears. This week’s Valley ‘Newcomer of the Week’ tallied a career-high 20 points against UT Martin and added a career-best six assists against Saint Louis.
Freshman of the Week Awards
Somah Kamara racked up 26 points during Tennessee State’s only game. The Tigers defeated Akron and the OVC’s ‘Freshman of the Week’ buried five three-pointers, grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists. This is Kamara’s second straight weekly rookie award.
Speaking of repeating freshman award winners, Evansville’s Camryn Runner earned her second MVC ‘Freshman of the Week’ award. Runner scored 30 points against Lindenwood and 18 against Lipscomb. The Cicero, Indiana native has reached double figures in the scoring column in five straight games.
During a week when Drake’s Katie Dinnebier scored 39 and 40 points and wasn’t among the women’s award winners and neither was WIU’s Raegan McCowan who averaged 15.5 points including a double-double, you can see there are some outstanding players in these two leagues.
Editor: Cover photo courtesy of unipanthers.com.
Twitter Feed
Weekly basketball awards have been announced by @ValleyHoops & the @OVCSports. @LUMensBball is making a habit of collecting the weekly freshman award.
Tough night in @ValleyHoops last night. The #MTE action was difficult. All three teams had leads and lost. Two in OT. @BustingBrackets tells you more.
Real heavy weights in the college basketball world go at it tonight. Great drama, theatre and $. But it's just another game, because they will all be in @MarchMadnessMBB no matter the outcome. 4 Huge games for @ValleyHoops because they have to earn a right to be considered.
Congrats to @CoachGraves10 on his naming to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame!
