This Week’s Stars

(St. Louis, MO) – Stars are not only shining, but they are reinforcing their reputations as truly dominant players.

The co-favorites for Player of the Year honors in the Missouri Valley Conference, Seth Tuttle and Fred VanVleet were named this week’s co-players of the week. Some believe Northern Iowa’s Tuttle has moved ahead of Wichita State’s VanVleet for the Larry Bird Trophy, but they are currently sharing the weekly honor.

VanVleet averaged 18 points, six rebounds and 3.5 assists in two Shocker wins. The 6′ junior guard also moved into third place on Wichita State’s career assists list. With nine more helpers, VanVleet will become the Shockers’ greatest all-time dime deliverer.

Tuttle helped UNI to continue their 13 game winning streak, by averaging 22.5 points. The 6’8″ senior is about to become the 14th player in league history to score 1,600 points and grab 850 rebounds.

Jacksonville State’s Darrion Rackley (CBC High School) averaged 20 points during two Gamecock victories. He is the first JSU player to receive the Ohio Valley Conference’s player of the week award  since 2013. One of those two wins was Jacksonville State’s first ever league win against Belmont.

Bellarmine’s Chris Whitehead had a roller coaster type of week. Whitehead was the most dominant player in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and earned his second straight player of the week honor. In between his 19 point performance on Thursday and his 30 point explosion on Saturday, he traveled home for his grandmother’s funeral. Whitehead was nothing short of brilliant in the 30 point performance against Missouri St. Louis. The 5’9″ guard made 11 of 16 shots many of them from well beyond the three point line.

Do Good