Illinois State's Lexi Wallen averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and shot 64.0% from the field in a pair of Redbird wins, earning her first career MVC Player of the Week award. UNI's Kristina Cavey scored 20 points with 10 rebounds in the Panthers' win at Iowa State, collecting her second Newcomer of the Week honor this season.
The next MVC Player/Newcomer of the Week release will be on Monday, January 6.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Lexi Wallen, Sr., F, Illinois State
Fifth-year senior Lexi Wallen averaged 20.0 points and led Illinois State in scoring in both games last week to help the ‘Birds go 2-0 in their final games before holiday break. In Monday’s victory over SIUE, Wallen had 19 points, shooting 7-of-11 (63.6%) from the field and adding five rebounds, an assist and a steal. She also had 21 points in Thursday’s win over Jackson State, tallying 17 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter and contributing to a 25-7 ISU run to close the game and secure the victory. Wallen had a team-high eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win as well. The senior has now led the ‘Birds in scoring in five games this season, featuring four performances scoring 20+ points.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Kristina Cavey, Gr., G, UNI
UNI’s Kristina Cavey scored a season-high 20 points and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double for the first time in her career in a win at Iowa State. She was 4-for-8 from the field, 2-for-5 from the three-point line and 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in the win. She also tallied three assists and two steals. The win over Iowa State was the first road win over the Cyclones in program history and completed the first sweep of Iowa and Iowa State since the 1974-75 season. The Panthers have three wins over Power Five opponents in one season for the first time in program history.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Lasha Petree (BRAD) - Named to the all-tournament team at the Roo Holiday Classic, sophomore Lasha Petree averaged a team-best 17.0 points per game, while shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range. She also averaged 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game in the two contests. Petree opened the tournament with a game-high 22 points against Liberty, hitting 3-of-5 three-point attempts along with going 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. She also tallied three rebounds, two assists, a block and two steals. She followed it up with 12 points, one rebound, two assists and three steals in a 20-point romp over Eastern Washington as the Braves capped the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 9-2 record.
Sara Rhine (DU) - Sara Rhine averaged 19.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 65.4 percent from the floor and an impressive 83.3 percent from the free throw line in a pair of road games. Rhine began the week at Oklahoma with her first double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds and she added two assists and one steal in 27 minutes. She followed that with 17 points, seven points, one block and one steal in 22 minutes at Iowa. Rhine leads the MVC in scoring at 18.9 points per game and shooting at 65.9 percent.
Adrian Folks (INS) - Adrian Folks was the unquestioned leader of the Sycamores against Southeast Missouri on Saturday evening. The freshman forward earned her first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, both career-highs. In addition to her double-double, Folks also finished with one steal to complete her stat line.
Allison Day (LUC) - Loyola sophomore forward Allison Day averaged a team-high 18.0 points in addition to 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals as the Ramblers split a pair of games last week. In Monday’s 84-76 win over Bowling Green, Day poured in a career-high 20 points (8-13 FGs, 4-6 FTs) to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, a block, and a steal. The Russellville, Ohio native added 16 points (6-8 FGs, 4-5 FTs), four rebounds, three assists, a block, and a steal in Friday’s 83-76 setback to No. 16/16 DePaul. Day currently sits as part of a tie for ninth in the MVC in scoring (14.5 ppg) and ranks 23rd nationally in field goal percentage, operating at a 60.4 percent clip from the field.
Brice Calip (MSU) - Brice Calip scored a game-high 15 points at 17th-ranked Gonzaga, adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals in a career-high 37 minutes. Calip got to the foul line seven times and committed only one turnover.
Karli Rucker (UNI) - Karli Rucker scored a season-high 25 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter to spur a 16-0 Panther run and a road win over Iowa State for the first time in program history. The Panthers own wins over Iowa State and Iowa for the first time since the 1974-75 season. Rucker was 9-18 from the field, 3-7 from the three-point line and 4-5 from the line. She also had two assists and two steals in the win. The Panthers have three wins over power-five opponents in one season for the first time in program history.
Makenzie Silvey (SIU) - Makenzie Silvey took home Tournament MVP honors after she helped the Salukis win the Compass Challenge for the second-straight season. The junior guard averaged 14.5 points, four assists and two steals for the tournament. In the win over Western Illinois, the Glen Carbon, Ill. native scored 15 points to go along with four assists and two steals. She followed with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals in the win over Northern Illinois.
Addison Stoller (VALPO) - Stoller led all players in scoring and tied for team-high honors in the rebounding column as well to help lead Valpo to its fifth consecutive win on Tuesday.
Mahri Petree (BRAD) - Petree averaged 5.5 points per game off the bench at the Roo Holiday Classic in Kansas City, Mo., also collecting 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. She paced the Bradley reserves with seven points Friday against Liberty and had two rebounds in her 16 minutes of action. Mahri helped highlight Saturday’s 66-46 win over Eastern Washington with four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in just 12 minutes.
Lola Bracy (UE) - Following up being the MVC Newcomer of the Week, junior Lola Bracy continued her strong form for the Aces. In a 76-42 win over Chicago State on Wednesday, Bracy scored 10 points, while collecting three rebounds and contributing two assists. Against Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Bracy led the Aces with 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds on the road in the non-conference finale.
Mary Crompton (ILS) - Redshirt freshman Mary Crompton combined for 31 points and started in both ofry ISU’s two wins last week, totaling 10 three-pointers while shooting 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from behind the arc. In Monday’s victory over SIUE, Crompton recorded a career-high 16 points and five assists, including five triples. The Iowa City, Iowa, native also drained five three-pointers in Thursday’s win over Jackson State, posting 15 points and grabbing two boards.
Jala Johnson (LUC) - Loyola freshman guard Jala Johnson chipped in 9.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in two appearances for the Ramblers this past week. After adding four points (2-2 FGs), a rebound, and an assist in Monday’s 84-76 victory against Bowling Green, Johnson turned in one of the top showings of her brief collegiate career in Friday’s clash with No. 16/16 DePaul. The Toledo, Ohio product came off the bench to score a season-best 14 points (6-9 FGs, 2-2 3FGs) while also grabbing five rebounds. Johnson currently finds herself in fifth on the Rambler roster in scoring at 7.0 ppg.
Carie Weinman (VALPO) - Weinman scored eight points in helping Valpo to its fifth straight win, including the game’s clinching free throws with 4.7 seconds to play. She also led all players with four steals after entering the game with just three steals total in the season’s first eight games combined.