Illinois State's Simone Goods averaged 23.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 76% from the field in wins over Missouri State and Southern Illinois, earning her second MVC Player of the Week honor of the season. Illinois State's TeTe Maggett averaged 18.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in the two Redbird road wins, collecting her fourth Newcomer of the Week honor this season.
This marks the second time this season that Goods and Maggett swept the weekly honors for Illinois State, also accomplishing the feat on Dec. 10.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Simone Goods, Sr., F, Illinois State
Simone Goods added a combined 47 points in ISU’s first MVC road sweep since the 2013-14 season, leading all scorers in both contests with 23 and 24 points, respectively. On Friday, Goods had a 19-point output in the second half, surging ISU to victory and end Missouri State’s 13-game winning streak. In the win over SIU, Goods put up eight points in three minutes following the halftime break. She averaged exactly one point per minute of playing time this weekend, clocking in 24 minutes on Friday and 23 on Sunday. Sunday’s game marks the 10th time Goods has had 20 or more in a contest this season. The senior forward also averaged 4.5 rebounds per game.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
TeTe Maggett, Jr., G, Illinois State
TeTe Maggett was the saving grace in the Redbirds’ close game finishes this weekend, contributing the last points in both matchups. Maggett was the second-leading scorer on Friday with 22 points, with the last three being extremely critical, sealing the game against the Lady Bears at the free-throw line. The junior point guard saved her scoring flourish for her late game heroics in Sunday’s contest, and proved her grit, pacing the ‘Birds to a strong finish. She scored 11 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter and 10 in the final four minutes. She was 2-for-2 from long range and 4-for-4 from the floor in the closing four minutes to overcome a five-point deficit against the Salukis.
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) - Petree averaged a team-best 15.5 points and collected 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.5 steals in a pair of road contests. Friday at Southern Illinois, she tied for game-high honors with 18 points off the bench, scoring 15 points in the second half on 5-of-10 shooting. Petree also pulled down five boards and had a block and steal in 25 minutes as she turned in her ninth game this season with at least 18 points. She followed it up with a team-high 13 points, three rebounds and two blocks Sunday at Missouri State. Petree is the seventh freshmen in program history to reach 300 points.
Becca Hittner (DU) - In Drake’s win over UNI, junior Becca Hittner scored a team-high 19 points and pulled down six rebounds, handed out two assists and blocked one shot. Hittner just missed her 11th 20-plus scoring performance as she recorded her sixth 19-point performance this season. She continues to lead the MVC in scoring at 19.8 points per game and in league games with a 21.7 scoring clip.
Marley Miller (UE) - Helping the Aces earn a conference split this weekend, senior Marley Miller turned in her best performance as an Aces and followed it up with another game finishing in double-digits. Powering Evansville to its first conference win since March 4, 2017, Miller recorded a career-high 25 points to go along with five rebounds in the Aces’ 77-65 win over Valpo on Friday evening. Returning to the floor on Sunday against Loyola, Miller again scored in double-figures, recording 10 points in the loss. Miller has scored double-digits in five-straight games and is averaging 17.4 points per game during that stretch.
Ty Battle (INS) - Ty Battle scored a career-high 21 points Sunday while averaging 15.5 points per game as the Sycamores split a pair of games over the weekend. The sophomore forward registered her third career double-double Sunday against Valpo and she finished the weekend averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She finished the weekend shooting 46.2 percent from the field, swiped four steals, recorded two blocks and dished out two assists.
Abby O’Connor (LUC) - For the second time in as many weeks, Loyola sophomore forward Abby O’Connor averaged a double-double with 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds as the Ramblers swept a pair of games in Indiana. In Friday’s gritty 44-36 victory over Indiana State, O’Connor was the only Rambler to score in double figures, finishing with 17 points (7-13 FGs, 1-4 3FGs, 2-4 FTs) and a career-high 14 rebounds, picking up her fourth double-double of the campaign, to help lead Loyola to its first-ever win at the Hulman Center. The sophomore forward followed that up by reaching the 20-point plateau for the third time this season, pouring in 22 points (9-15 FGs, 4-7 3FGs) in addition to seven rebounds in a 71-51 win against Evansville on Sunday. O’Connor is one of the four players in the MVC to rank in the top 10 on the league charts in both scoring (9th; 13.8 ppg) and rebounding (6th; 7.3 rpg).
Alexa Willard (MSU) - Alexa Willard averaged 18.5 points per game on 57 percent shooting over the weekend, including a career-high 29 points on 13-for-18 shooting Sunday against Bradley, setting a JQH Arena record for field goals by an MSU player. Willard went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc against the Braves and tallied 19 points in the second half. Friday, the junior had eight points and two assists against Illinois State.
Karlie Rucker (UNI) - Karlie Rucker tied her career high with 25 points and added seven assists, three rebounds and a steal to lead UNI in a 76-61 loss to Drake on the road Friday evening. She was 8-15 from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line to lead the Panthers. She is shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 81.8 percent from the line so far this season.
Nicole Martin (SIU) - Southern Illinois junior Nicole Martin averaged 15.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists as SIU split a pair of MVC home games over the weekend. The Jefferson City, Mo. native stuffed the stat sheet in Friday night’s win over Bradley, as she finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. She followed with 13 points, four boards, two steals and tied a career-high with three assists against Illinois State on Sunday. She has now scored in double figures in 17 games this season.
Addison Stoller (VALPO) - Stoller averaged 14.0 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game this weekend despite being limited to just 29.0 minutes per contest. She led four Valpo players in double figures on Friday at Evansville with 15 points, finishing that game a rebound shy of a double-double. Stoller scored 10 of her team’s 18 first-quarter points to help Valpo out to an early lead against the Purple Aces. She led the team in rebounds (6) and steals (4) on Sunday at Indiana State while finishing in double figures for the fourth straight game and the seventh time in the last eight contests with 13 points.
Monica Burich (DU) - Coming off the bench, Monica Burich had an efficient performance in the win over the Panthers with seven points, three rebounds and one assist in just eight minutes. Burich has played in all 24 games off the bench and averages 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while averaging 12.7 minutes.
Anna Newman (UE) - Scoring in double-figures to aid Evansville in winning its first MVC game since the 2016-17 season, freshman Anna Newman again recorded a career-high effort as part of a strong weekend. For the second-straight game, Newman set a new career-high with 16 points, nine of which came at the free-throw line, while adding three rebounds and three assists in the Aces’ 77-65 win over Valpo on Friday evening. On Sunday, Newman rallied seven points in 20 minutes of action in a home contest against Loyola. Newman’s career-high against Valpo marked her third game this season, all coming in conference play, scoring in double-figures, following a 14-point effort against Bradley on Feb. 10.
Janae Gonzales (LUC) - Loyola freshman Janae Gonzales contributed 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in a pair of Rambler victories this past weekend. The Tolleson, Ariz. native came up with a clutch fourth-quarter three, helping Loyola create separation, as part of a nine-point (2-7 FGs, 1-3 3FGs, 4-4 FTs), eight-rebound, three-assist showing in a 44-36 win over Indiana State on Friday evening. Gonzales knocked down two more triples as part of a 71-51 triumph at Evansville two days later, finishing with eight points (2-6 FGs, 2-5 3FGs, 2-2 FTs) and six rebounds against the Purple Aces. Gonzales currently ranks second amongst Valley freshmen in scoring (11.4 ppg) and is tied for second in the MVC in three-point field goals made per game (2.4).
Jasmine Franklin (MSU) - Jasmine Franklin shot 67 percent from the floor on the weekend with averages of 10 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Friday, Franklin extended her streak of consecutive field goals made to 10, finishing 6-for-8 with 12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal against Illinois State. On Sunday, the freshman had eight points and 10 rebounds – her sixth double-figure game of the year – shooting 4-for-7 with a pair of steals.