Reemerging Stars

(St. Louis, MO) – It is time for reemerging stars in the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conferences. Preseason all conference players are some of those reemerging stars. Both leagues have numerous returning stars so this week the league’s veterans flexed their collective muscles.

Here are this week’s Rhymes Heating & Cooling Hot Players of the Week!

Missouri Valley Conference

Phil Fayne registered a career high 30 points in Illinois State’s win over Cleveland State. The 6’8 senior made two last-second free throws to send the game into overtime. The Redbirds dominated the extra session, winning 88-77. The preseason all-Valley forward is this week’s ‘Player of the Week’.

Drake’s Nick Norton earned his third weekly award. The grad transfer pulled down both the ‘Player & Newcomer of the Week’ honors earlier in the season.  Norton reached double digits in assists for the second time this season (to go with 11 points) in Drake’s nine-point loss to Iowa State. This week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week’ committed no turnovers in the contest. Norton leads the Valley in assists and owns an outstanding 3.6 assist/turnover ratio.

Ohio Valley Conference

Austin Peay’s Terry Taylor has lived a little in the shadows of the OVC’s top three players and Belmont’s Kevin McClain understands that life-style very well. While Eastern Kentucky’s Nick Mayo, Murray State’s Ja Morant and Belmont’s Dylan Windler have drawn the headlines, Taylor and McClain stood tall this week to claim ‘Co-Player of the Week’ honors.

Taylor earned his fifth double-double scoring 32 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the Governors’ only game. The reigning ‘Freshman of the Year’ leads the OVC in rebounding (9.3) and is fifth in scoring (17.3). APSU defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 95-68.

With Windler in foul trouble, McClain picked up the Bruins. The senior guard scored 20 points, including the last second, game-winning basket to defeat UCLA. McClain was eight of eleven from the field, while connecting three of five times from deep. He added six assists and six rebounds handing THE OTHER BRUINS just the second loss in their last 42 home games against non-power five teams.

Tennessee State’s Donte Fitzpatrick-Dorsey is making a run at ‘Newcomer of the Year’ status, by adding his second weekly honor. He and Southeast Missouri’s Skyler Hogan are the only two-time winners. The Ole Miss transfer scored 23 points and nabbed seven assists in the Tigers’ two-point loss to North Carolina A&T.

Speaking of repeaters, Murray State’s Tevin Brown became the first rookie to win the ‘Freshman of the Week’ twice. Brown scored 20 points in the Racers’ win over Southern Illinois and dropped 16 points on Jackson State. Brown shot 50% from deep (10 for 20) and leads the OVC in long distance conversions (3.3 per game).

These reemerging players will continue to have huge roles as conference play begins.

 

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