Bradley's Chelsea Brackmann averaged 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds, while shooting 75.0% from the field as the Braves claimed home wins over Valparaiso and Loyola, earning the first MVC Player of the Week honor of her career. Indiana State junior Jamyra McChristine averaged 23.0 points and 8.5 rebounds, while shooting 71.4% from the field as the Sycamores split home contests with UNI and Drake, earning her second Newcomer of the Week honor this season.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Chelsea Brackmann, Sr., F, Bradley
Brackmann averaged 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 75 percent from the field in addition to making 13-of-14 free throw attempts in a pair of home victories that kept Bradley alone in second in the MVC standings. She opened the week with a season-best 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting and finished a rebound short of a double-double in a 90-69 win over Valparaiso. The 9-for-10 shooting was the best by a Brave (minimum 10 attempts) since Jan. 7, 2006. In Sunday’s 71-50 victory against Loyola, Brackmann turned in her fourth double-double of the year with 20 points and 11 rebounds, making 6-of-10 from the field and going 7-for-7 from the free throw line. She tied the Bradley career record with her 36th career game with 10+ rebounds, along with pulling down her 900th career rebound as she moved into 17th in MVC history in career rebounding.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Jamyra McChristine, Jr., F, Indiana State
Junior Jamyra McChristine played a key role in the Sycamores’ success over the weekend. McChristine led the charge on Thursday against Northern Iowa, helping the Sycamores upset the Panthers and earn their first win over UNI since March 8, 2014 behind a career-high 24 points and nine rebounds as well as two steals. Then on Saturday, the junior recorded 22 points and eight boards against Drake, the highest point total for the Sycamores against the Bulldogs since Bilqis Abdul-Qaadi put up 26 on January 5, 2014. On the weekend, McChristine averaged 23 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 20-28 from the floor.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Becca Hittner (DU) - Becca Hittner had a historic weekend as Drake went 2-0 on its Indiana road trip with wins over Evansville and Indiana State. In the victory over the Purple Aces, Hittner became the sixth Drake player and 10th in the MVC to surpass 2,000 career points. Overall, she averaged 15.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from the floor and 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from three in averaging just 23.5 minutes in each win. Hittner hit the 2K mark with the first of two free throws with 6:42 left against Evansville as she finished with her fourth double-double this season with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Hittner closed the trip with 14 points, seven rebounds and two assists in just 20 minutes against the Sycamores. Hittner, the reigning Valley Player of the Week, averages a league-high 18.2 points per game.
Lexi Wallen (ILS) - Fifth-year senior Lexi Wallen averaged 26.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of games over the weekend, including a career performance in Illinois State’s 86-85 double overtime win over Loyola Chicago on Friday. Wallen put up a career-high 35 points and seven rebounds in the victory, coming through when it mattered most and scoring 10 points in the final 39 seconds of regulation and the game-tying triple to force an overtime period. The Champaign, Illinois native totaled 10 more points in the following two overtime periods, including the layup that knotted the score and forced 2OT and the two game-winning free throws with seconds left to give the ‘Birds the victory. Wallen put up another strong performance in Sunday’s game with Valparaiso, recording 17 points and grabbing eight boards in 32 minutes of action.
Tiara Wallace (LUC) - Loyola senior guard Tiara Wallace averaged 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.0 steals in the Ramblers’ two games in Central Illinois over the weekend. In Friday’s double-overtime thriller with Illinois State, Wallace posted her second-straight 20-plus point effort, finishing with 22 points (9-16 FGs, 4-4 FTs), a career-high tying nine assists, seven rebounds, and three steals. The Berkeley, Ill. native, who added five points (1-10 FGs, 1-2 3FGs, 2-2 FTs), two rebounds, and two assists against Bradley on Sunday, is averaging 15.0 points and 5.0 assists, both team-best marks, over Loyola’s last five games.
Elle Ruffridge (MSU) - Elle Ruffridge scored a game-high 16 points off the bench in Saturday’s victory over SIU, shooting 6-for-7 overall and 4-for-5 from 3-point range. The Lady Bears out-scored the Salukis by 20 points in Ruffridge’s 16 minutes on the floor, and she tallied 11 points in the second half to go with a pair of rebounds. The junior ranks fourth in the MVC in 3-point accuracy at 42 percent.
Nicole Martin (SIU) - Nicole Martin scored a team-best 14 points at Missouri State on Saturday. The two-time All-MVC selection added two boards and two steals in 22 minutes of work. It marked the third-straight game, and 16th time this season, that the senior from Jefferson City, Mo. has scored in double figures.
Addison Stoller (VALPO) - Stoller led the way as Valpo earned a key road win at Illinois State on Sunday. Stoller scored 13 of her career-best 25 points in the first quarter, out-scoring ISU by herself 13-9 in the opening period. She also set a season high with her 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the year. Over the pair of games last weekend, Stoller was a perfect 10-for-10 at the foul line and has now made 29 straight free throws.
Kierra Collier (DU) - Kierra Collier returned to the Bulldogs’ starting lineup against Evansville. Collier, who played limited minutes in the prior game against Missouri State, had missed the previous three games due to injury. Collier averaged 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the 2-0 road trip. She scored nine points and handed out four assists against Evansville. Collier followed that with 14 points, her third-best scoring total this season and added four assists and two steals against the Sycamores. In her first season, Collier averages 8.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Abby Feit (UE) - It was another impressive weekend for freshman Abby Feit, facing Drake and UNI. Against the Bulldogs, Feit finished tied for a game-high with 16 points, pulling down eight boards to go along with five steals and a pair of assists. Feit continued to contribute on Saturday against UNI as the freshman scored five points and recorded a game-high 11 rebounds and dished out five assists, adding three steals and two blocks.
Juliunn Redmond (ILS) - Junior Juliunn Redmond continues to excel in Valley play, putting up a pair of double-double performances over the weekend while averaging 19.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals. Redmond recorded 19 points while grabbing 10 boards in ISU’s 86-85 double overtime win over Loyola Chicago. In Sunday’s game versus Valparaiso, Redmond also posted a team-high 20 points and set a new career-high of 14 rebounds. The junior, who has now recorded three-straight double-doubles to bring her total to four on the season, has finished in double figures in 12 of 14 MVC games.
Sam Galanopoulos (VALPO) - Loyola freshman guard Sam Galanopoulos added 10.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across the Maroon & Gold’s two games over the weekend. After chipping in eight points (2-6 FGs, 1-1 3FGs, 3-4 FTs), two rebounds, and an assist versus Illinois State on Friday, the Skokie, Ill. product poured in a team-high 12 points (4-10 FGs, 2-2 3FGs, 2-2 FTs) in Sunday’s clash with Bradley, also grabbing three rebounds and dishing out two assists against the Braves. Galanopoulos, who has seen action in all 24 games during her freshman campaign, is averaging 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds this season.
Trinity Knapp (MSU) - Trinity Knapp tallied five points and a rebound in eight minutes against Southern Illinois, including a 3-pointer to close the first half. The freshman was 2-for-3 from the floor and leads MSU in scoring rate this season at 25.3 points per 40 minutes.