Drake's Becca Hittner averaged 33.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 57.9% from the field against Missouri State and Southern Illinois over the weekend, earning her first MVC Player of the Week honor of the season. Loyola freshman Allison Day averaged 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as the Ramblers split a weekend series with Illinois State and Bradley, earning her first Newcomer of the Week honor.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Becca Hittner, Jr., G, Drake
Junior Becca Hittner averaged 33.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 57.9 percent (22-of-38) from the floor and 79.2 percent from the free throw line in Drake’s two games this past weekend. Hittner started the weekend against Missouri State with a career-high 37 points on 12-of-23 shooting, adding eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. She followed that effort with an impressive 30 points, on 10-of-15 shooting, to go with seven rebounds, one assist and one block in a win over Southern Illinois. Her three 30-plus scoring games lead the MVC and she has the most for a Drake player since Lizzy Wendell had four during the 2016-17 season.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Allison Day, Fr., F, Loyola
Loyola freshman Allison Day put together the top two consecutive games of her young collegiate career this past weekend, averaging 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks. Day opened her weekend with a 13-point, seven-rebound effort in Friday’s 62-59 win over Illinois State. The Winchester, Ohio native also handed out a career-high five assists and recorded two blocks against the Redbirds. She came back on Sunday to post the first double-double of her career, pouring in a career-high 18 points to go along with 11 rebounds, an assist and a block in a matchup with Bradley. Day, who has started in nine straight games, is operating at 50.8 percent (30-of-59) mark from the field since the start of MVC play, good enough for seventh overall in the league.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Chelsea Brackmann (BRAD) - Brackmann averaged 15.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in a pair of road games, as she helped highlight Bradley’s win at Loyola with her second 20-20 outing of the season. After collecting seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and three rebounds in 16 minutes of action Friday at Valparaiso, Brackmann collected her league-best 10th double-double of the year Sunday in a 69-56 victory at Loyola. She scored a career-best 24 points and hauled down a game-high 20 rebounds in addition to recording three blocks and one steal as Bradley improved to 4-1 in Valley road games. She is the first player in the MVC with a pair of 20-20 outings in the same season since at least the 1995-96 campaign. In fact, there have been just two 20-20 performance in the MVC over the last eight years and Brackmann is one of four players in the country this year to have a pair of 20-20 games. Brackmann recorded her 600th career rebound in the process to become the second fastest player in school history to reach 600 career boards as she helped Bradley finish the first half of Valley play with a 5-4 record for the first time since 2008-09.
Kerri Gasper (UE) - Closing out a three-game homestand, senior Kerri Gasper put together one of her best collegiate performances on Friday evening. Against Indiana State, Gasper scored a team-high 19 points while tying a career-high with 12 rebounds, marking her fifth double-double of the season. Gasper continues to pace the Aces in scoring and rebounding, averaging 11.6 points and 7.4 rebounds, while leading the MVC in minutes player with 35.1 minutes per game.
Simone Goods (ILS) - Simone Goods tied her career high, contributing 30 of ISU’s 70 points in victory over Valparaiso on Sunday. The senior forward was 80 percent from the floor, going 12-for-15, while also grabbing a team-high seven boards and two blocks. Additionally, she added double figures on Friday netting 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and denied two shots. Goods’ 46-point output this weekend puts her above a career 600 points, which she has obtained in less than two seasons.
Ty Battle (INS) - Ty Battle shot 61.5% from the field and 75% from the free throw line as she helped Indiana State to an undefeated weekend of play. A sophomore, Battle was 8 of 13 from the field, grabbed 6 rebounds and was credited with 2 steals last week while dishing out 3 assists and not turning the ball over. She scored 19 points in ISU’s win Friday night, leading all scorers.
Abby O’Connor (LUC) - Loyola sophomore Abby O’Connor averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks as the Ramblers split a pair of games this past weekend against in-state foes. In Friday’s 62-59 triumph over Illinois State, O’Connor was one of four Ramblers in double figures, adding 14 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block. The South Bend, Ind. native followed up that performance with her second career double-double in Sunday’s weekend finale against Bradley, finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. O’Connor, who has reached double figures in scoring in nine of Loyola’s last 11 games, currently leads the Ramblers in scoring at 13.4 ppg, a mark that ranks 10th in The Valley.
Danielle Gitzen (MSU) - Danielle Gitzen led the Lady Bears in scoring and rebounding in wins at Drake and UNI, averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 boards with four steals and two assists. Gitzen notched her third career double-double Friday, going for 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Lady Bears end Drake’s 47-game MVC win streak. The senior added two assists and two steals against the Bulldogs. Sunday, Gitzen had 10 points, five rebounds and two steals in a victory at UNI, making MSU the first Valley team since 2014 to sweep the Drake/UNI road swing. She shot 42 percent from the floor and 11-for-15 at the foul line in two games.
Ellie Howell (UNI) - Ellie Howell averaged 12.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in a split weekend for the Panthers. She scored a season-high 18 points and snagged four steals to lead UNI to a 65-53 win over Southern Illinois Friday. Sunday, she scored seven points against Missouri State.
Mackenzie Silvey (SIU) - Makenzie Silvey averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals in SIU’s two road games this past weekend. Silvey went for 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting to go along with two boards and two steals at Northern Iowa on Friday. It marked the fifth time this season that Silvey has scored 20-plus points. She followed with six points and five assists at Drake on Sunday.
Allison Schofield (VALPO) - The Valpo senior averaged 12.5 points per game this weekend and went 7-of-10 from 3-point range to help Valpo split a pair of three-point affairs against Bradley and Illinois State. She did her damage while playing just 21.0 minutes per contest over the two games to give her team a lift off the bench. Valpo picked up an upset victory on Friday over the Braves before giving the Redbirds a scare on Sunday. In the game against Illinois State, Schofield established a career high with 22 points while becoming the first Valpo player since 2016 with six made 3-pointers in a game and the first to do so at home since 2010. Schofield is averaging 7.7 points per game after scoring 1.0 point per game last season.
Lasha Petree (BRAD) - Petree averaged 8.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 block and 0.5 steals in a pair of road games. She came off the bench at Valparaiso to score 13 points and also had one rebound, one assist and one steal in 30 minutes of action. In Sunday’s road win at Loyola, Petree had four points, two boards, one assist and a pair of blocks as she helped Bradley improve to 4-1 in conference road games. The win at Loyola gave Bradley a 5-4 record to start league action for the first time since 2008-09.
Tamara Lee (INS) - Tamara Lee shot 80% from 3-point range and 50% overall as she helped Indiana State to an undefeated weekend of play. Lee, a graduate transfer, was perfect from the free throw line (4-for-4) and was credited with a steal as she went 5 of 10 from the floor including 4-for-5 from downtown. She tallied 18 points in the Sycamores win over Evansville Friday night.
Dariauna Lewis (MSU) - Dariauna Lewis averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 70 percent from the field in Missouri State’s wins at Drake and UNI. Friday at Drake, Lewis shot 6-for-7 with a career-high 15 points and eight rebounds, adding a block and a steal as the Lady Bears became the first MVC to beat Drake since 2016. Sunday, Lewis had two points, a rebound and two steals in MSU’s victory at UNI.
Cynthia Wolf (UNI) - Cynthia Wolf averaged 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds for UNI. She had seven points and seven rebounds against Missouri State.
Payton McCallister (SIU) - McCallister averaged 7.0 points and 1.5 assists in SIU’s two road games this past weekend. McCallister was Southern’s leading scorer at Drake as she finished with 12 points. It marked the fifth time this season she has scored in double figures and she became the fifth different Saluki to lead the team in scoring this season.
Shay Frederick (VALPO) - With two point guards now lost for the season due to injuries, Frederick made her first career start on Friday against Bradley. She responded in a big way, pouring in career highs in points (21) and assists (8) while playing 38 minutes in a 76-73 victory. Frederick followed that showing by handing out six assists on Sunday against Illinois State. The rookie averaged 12.0 points and 7.0 assists in her first weekend as the starting point guard.