The second week of MVC women's basketball was filled with another bunch of great performances. Missouri State's Liza Fruendt averaged 17.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game during three contests last week, earning her second career Player of the Week honor. Southern Illinois freshman forward Abby Brockmeyer averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game against UAB and Memphis, taking home Newcomer of the Week Honors.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Liza Fruendt, Sr., G, Missouri State
Missouri State senior guard Liza Fruendt averaged 17 points and 5.3 rebounds during the season’s opening week, including a 29-point outburst against 23rd-ranked Missouri on Sunday afternoon. Fruendt buried five 3-pointers and shot 10-for-24 from the field against Missouri, adding three rebounds, an assist and a steal. In Monday’s opener at Ball State, the senior finished with team highs of 14 points and seven rebounds against a perennial postseason team. She also shared high scoring honors in Wednesday’s victory against Central Missouri, posting eight points, six boards and four assists.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Abby Brockmeyer, Fr., F, Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois freshman forward Abby Brockmeyer averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in a pair of games last week. The Raymond, Ill. native tallied two double-doubles, as she posted 17 points and 10 rebounds at UAB on Monday, and followed with 14 points and 10 rebounds in SIU’s win at Memphis on Sunday. She is just the eighth freshman in school history to record at least two double-doubles during her freshman campaign, and the first to do so since Dyana Pierre totaled nine double-doubles during the 2012-13 season.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Nyjah White (BRAD) - White shot 56.3 percent from the field and averaged 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steal in a pair of outings last week. She turned in her first career double-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals in just 18 minutes off the bench to help highlight Wednesday’s 88-44 victory over Lincoln (Mo.). White’s double-double in just her second career game gave her the earliest career double-double for a Brave since Val Wancket had a double-double as a freshman in the 1987-88 season opener. White followed it up with 10 points and three rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench at Illinois as she helped the Braves stay within one possession of the Illini until the final four minutes of the contest.
Sammie Bachrodt (DU) - Helped lead Drake to blowout win over Liberty, 96-68, in team’s lone game … poured in season-high 18 points in just 28 minutes … tied career-high with six steals … 5-of-7 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc … knocked down career-high five free throws (5-of-6) … added three rebounds, three assists and one block … averaging 13.3 points, 3.0 steals and 3.7 assists per game this season.
Kennedy Kirkpatrick (UNI) - Kirkpatrick had a career-high 17 points for the Panthers to lead UNI past Iowa State last Tuesday. Kirkpatrick buried three 3-point baskets to vault UNI over ISU, 57-53. The redshirt senior played a total of 33 minutes, shooting 6-of-11 from the floor while grabbing two rebounds, an assist and a steal. The start at point guard for Kirkpatrick was just her second as a Panther.
Nicole Martin (SIU) - Martin averaged 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest this past week for the Salukis. Martin opened the week with 18 points at UAB - one point shy of her career-best. She followed with 14 points, seven boards and a career-best four steals in SIU’s 68-56 win at Memphis on Sunday. It marks the third-straight game that the Jefferson City, Mo. native has scored in double figures to start the 2017-18 season.
Dani Franklin (VALPO) - Franklin opened her senior season with a 26-point performance in Valpo’s 81-47 win over IU Kokomo on Thursday night. Franklin was 9-of-17 from the floor, 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. She did all of that damage in the first three quarters and did not play in the fourth. Franklin bookended her game with 3-point baskets, knocking down a triple six seconds into the game and another one as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter.
Maddie Monahan (DU) - Earned first career start in win over Lady Flames … played career-high 24 minutes and finished with balanced score sheet with four points, three rebounds and career-high seven assists … in her first season is averaging 4.3 points and 4.0 assists per game.
Kailyn Strawbridge (LUC) - Loyola freshman guard Kailyn Strawbridge continued the strong start to her debut season with the Ramblers this past week. Strawbridge averaged 8.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists over a pair of contests. The Rockford, Ill. product opened the week with a six-point, seven-rebound performance against Western Michigan this past Wednesday before chipping in 10 points to go along with two rebounds and three assists in a clash with Youngstown State. Strawbridge currently leads all league freshmen in scoring (16.0 ppg).
Brice Calip (MSU) - Brice Calip ranked second on the team in scoring and minutes played last week, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. In her first career start Sunday versus No. 23 Missouri, Calip played 35 minutes and finished with seven points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. She had a team-high eight points, three boards and two assists on Wednesday against Central Missouri, and had four points and three rebounds in Monday’s opener at Ball State.
Bryce Blood (VALPO) - Blood started in her first collegiate game and turned in a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds in Valpo’s season-opening victory. She became the first Crusader since 2008 to register a double-double in the first game of the season.