(St. Louis, MO) – Surging teams in our Three Valleys received outstanding individual performances this week. As the season winds down, various players are making a push for season ending player of the year awards.
Missouri Valley Conference
Southern Illinois’ Anthony Beane racked up two 31-point performances during a pair of Saluki victories. Beane’s outburst were the fifth and sixth times this season that the 6’2 senior reached the 30 point plateau. Beane won the ‘Player of the Week’ award for the second time this year and sixth in his career.
Illinois State’s Nick Banyard is emerging as a new force in the Redbird rotation and averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds during ISU’s two victories. The New Mexico transfer is this week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week.’
Ohio Valley Conference
UT-Martin is the hottest team in the OVC and last week and 6’6 senior Twymond Howard averaged 19.5 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Skyhawks who are now one half game out of first in the West Division. Howard is eight rebounds away from 400 for his career and is this week’s ‘Player of the Week.’
DeJuan Marrero averaged 17 points and 8.5 rebounds for Morehead State who swept their two games last week. Marrero netted his sixth double-double of the season when the Eagles knocked off first place Belmont. The Chipola College transfer is this week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week’ and like Howard a first time winner.
Two players are sharing this week’s ‘Freshman of the Week’ award and neither of them are Eastern Kentucky’s Nick Mayo. For the first time in five weeks Mayo didn’t win the award. Jared Hamilton earned his third freshman weekly award and the Jacksonville State player is sharing the award with Tennessee State freshman Armani Chaney.
Great Lakes Valley Conference
Andy Mazurczak is tearing up the GLVC. The senior guard averaged 33 points per game last week for the Rangers and won his third ‘Player of the Week’ award. Mazurczak is fifth in the league in scoring and the Rangers are tied for first place in ‘the Big 10’ of Division 2 basketball.
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Flooding, lightning strikes, etc. have cost @RacersHoops two home games. Had to play 'neutral site' tonight instead of at home and Wednesday's goes from home to away. Tough break for the Racers, and the whole area has been hit with difficulties. #FatherHarry
Murray State's scheduled home game Wednesday vs. Southern Illinois being moved to Banterra Center in Carbondale. #ValleyHoops
Gigantic game for @BradleyUMBB today in Des Moines. If they have a chance to catch @DrakeBulldogsMB, they have to win today. The Bulldogs can basically win the title today. @BustingBrackets breaks it all down. #FatherHarry https://bit.ly/3EGiVgi
Not rooting for any particular @ValleyHoops, but chaos is always fun. If things break certain ways, after today there could be a six-way tie for fifth place.
Fun to listen to @MLBLarry on the @SIU_Basketball/@BelmontMBB game tonight. Good job brother. #FatherHarry
