Drake's Sara Rhine averaged 22.5 points and 11.0 rebounds, while shooting 66.7% from the field as the Bulldogs claimed home wins over Bradley and Illinois State, earning the 11th MVC Player of the Week honor of her career. The 11 awards is tied for third all-time on the MVC list with Illinois State's Kristi Cirone (2006-09), trailing Drake’s Lizzy Wendell (14) and Missouri State’s Jackie Stiles (18).
Drake sophomore Kierra Collier averaged 16.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 rebounds per game as the Bulldogs beat Bradley and Illinois State, earning her first Newcomer of the Week honor this season.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Sara Rhine, Sr., F, Drake
Redshirt senior Sara Rhine helped Drake go 2-0 with wins over Bradley and Illinois State in her final homestand at the Knapp Center. Rhine recorded double-doubles in each victory averaging 22.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 block per game while shooting a blistering 66.7 percent (14-of-21) from the floor, 66.7 from three (2-of-3) and 83.3 percent (15-of-18) from the free throw line. Rhine started the week with 17 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and one block in the Bradley win. She followed that with a game-high 28 points and 10 rebounds in the Illinois State victory. Rhine leads the MVC in field goal percentage at 66.3 percent, is No. 2 in scoring at 18.0 points behind teammate Becca Hittner and ranks fifth in rebounding at 7.8.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Kierra Collier, So., G, Drake
Redshirt sophomore Kierra Collier averaged 16.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from the floor and making all 7-of-7 from the free throw line in the Bulldogs’ pair of home wins. Collier scored 22 points in the Bradley win, including a dominating stretch where she scored seven-straight points late in the fourth quarter to help the Bulldogs secure the victory. She added four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 24 minutes. In the Illinois State win, she scored 10 points, handed out four assists and nabbed three steals, including a critical one late in the game that helped lead Drake to a big basket. In her first season as Bulldog, Collier averages 9.0 points per game and 2.9 assists per game.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
TeTe Maggett (ILS) - Senior TeTe Maggett helped the Redbirds go 1-1 over the weekend on the Iowa road swing, nearly averaging a double-double with 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Maggett had 14 points and nine rebounds in Thursday’s win at UNI, draining the contested three-pointer to tie it up and force an overtime with only four seconds left. She also tallied 11 points in Saturday’s game at Drake, grabbing nine boards and four assists. The senior is averaging 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 steals on the year.
Jala Johnson (LUC) - Loyola freshman guard Jala Johnson finished with a team-best 10 points (4-5 FGs, 2-3 3FGs) and grabbed five rebounds in the Ramblers’ 70-57 setback to Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon inside Gentile Arena. It marked the sixth time this season that the Toledo, Ohio native has reached double figures in scoring. On the year, Johnson is averaging 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds across 22 appearances, the last six of which have all come in a starting role.
Abby Hipp (MSU) - Abby Hipp shot 75 percent from the field and averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 9.0 rebounds in a pair of Missouri State wins. Hipp collected her second career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds Friday against Evansville, adding a block and a steal while shooting 4-for-7. Sunday, Hipp made all five of her field goal attempts – her second perfect game of the year shooting 5-for-5 or better – to finish with 12 points and six rebounds against Indiana State. She also had two blocks and a steal against the Sycamores.
Nicole Martin (SIU) - Nicole Martin averaged 18.0 points on 66.7-percent (12-of-18) shooting in SIU’s two win over the weekend. The two-time All-MVC first team selection also averaged 8.0 rebounds, a block and a steal in each of Southern’s victories. Martin finished a rebound shy of a double-double in SIU’s win over Indiana State, as she poured in 17 points and added nine boards. In Southern’s win over Evansville, the senior forward scored 19 points in 18 minutes. She was a near perfect 7-for-8 from the field and added seven rebounds in Southern’s largest victory over a conference foe since 1991.
Carie Weinman (VALPO) - Weinman led the way for Valpo as it enjoyed its second double-digit comeback win over Loyola this season. The sophomore helped the Crusaders outscore the Ramblers 43-25 in the second half as she poured in 17 of her game-high 21 points after the halftime break. The 21 points were a season high, while Weinman also recorded six steals to match her season best. Weinman is now leading the MVC with 2.2 steals/game this year, a mark she has pushed to 2.9 steals/game in Valley conference games.
Abby Feit (UE) - Freshman Abby Feit continued her spectacular freshman campaign on the road in two Valley games. On Friday, Feit finished with a game-high 17 points and added nine rebounds against No. 18 Missouri State. Feit again finished in double-figures on Sunday, scoring 16 points and recording five rebounds and three assists.
Juliunn Redmond (ILS) - Junior Juliunn Redmond put together another pair of impressive performances, averaging 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 4.5 steals in a weekend that saw ISU win in overtime at UNI on Thursday before falling at Drake on Saturday. The junior was just two assists shy of a triple-double in Thursday’s win, recording 13 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and a career-high five steals. It was her fourth-straight double-double and the fifth of Valley play. Redmond also added 12 points, seven assists, four steals and three rebounds at Drake on Sunday. The Chicago, Illinois, native is ranked second in steals (2.1 per game), fifth in rebounds (7.7 per game) and seventh in scoring (14.0 per game) in conference games.
Caitlin Anderson (INS) - Freshman Caitlin Anderson stepped-up and played well for the Sycamores against #18 Missouri State when ISU leader Jamyra McChristine was out. The guard put up a team-high 15 points to go along with two rebounds and two assists to lead the Blue & White. On Friday against Southern Illinois, Anderson tallied five points and one rebound.