Missouri State's Brice Calip averaged 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game in wins over previously unbeaten Bradley and Illinois State over the weekend, earning her first MVC Player of the Week honor of her career. Illinois State junior Juliunn Redmond averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game as the Redbirds split a weekend series with Southern Illinois and Missouri State, earning her second-straight Newcomer of the Week honor.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Brice Calip, Jr., G, Missouri State
Brice Calip accomplished something not done in a decade at Missouri State during a pair of victories in which she averaged a team-high 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists. In Sunday’s victory against Illinois State, she became the first MSU player since 2010 to post eight assists without a turnover, adding 15 points, four boards and a blocked shot. Friday against Bradley, Calip scored a team-high 15 points, dished out four assists and had a pair of steals, helping MSU put up 90 points on the MVC’s top scoring defense. For the week, Calip shot 7-for-17 overall, 3-for-8 from distance and 13-for-16 at the foul line, tallying 12 assists against one turnover to move into the league lead in assist-to-turnover ratio.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Juliunn Redmond, Jr., G, Illinois State
Illinois State junior Juliunn Redmond averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and three steals over the weekend, that saw Illinois State pick up a road win at Southern Illinois before falling at No. 21/24 Missouri State on Sunday. Redmond recorded a game-high 15 points in ISU’s 62-54 victory at Southern Illinois on Friday night, also collecting six boards and adding three steals and two assists. The junior recorded 16 points in Sunday afternoon’s game versus the Lady Bears, shooting 50 percent (7-of-14) on the day while also corralling seven rebounds and adding three steals. Redmond is averaging 12.7 points per game in Valley play and has scored in double figures in seven of the last eight games.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Sara Rhine (DU) - Sara Rhine reached the impressive 2,000 career scoring mark this past weekend in helping Drake sweep Valparaiso and Loyola at the Knapp Center. Rhine scored 13 points in the victory over the Crusaders to become just the fifth Drake women’s basketball player and ninth MVC player to score 2,000 career points. She closed the weekend in the win over the Ramblers with 14 points and nine rebounds just missing her fifth double-double of the season. Rhine added two assists and one steal in 22 minutes. In the wins, Rhine averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block while shooting 50 percent (10-of-20) from the floor and went a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line in just 23.5 average minutes. Rhine is second on the team in scoring at 17.2 points per game and leads the team in rebounding at 7.0 per game while shooting a league-best 65.5 percent from the floor.
Lexi Wallen (ILS) - Fifth-year senior Lexi Wallen averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over the weekend, that saw Illinois State pick up a road win at Southern Illinois before falling to No. 21/24 Missouri State on Sunday. Wallen contributed 10 points at SIU on Friday, grabbing five boards and going 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. She then posted a game-high 25 points in Sunday’s game versus the Lady Bears, grabbing six boards and shooting 100 percent (2-of-2) from behind the three-point line.
Del’Janae Williams (INS) - Freshman Del’Janae Williams stuffed the stat sheet to help lead Indiana State to their first win since Nov. 19, taking down Evansville on Friday. The Detroit native led the blue and white with 16 points on 5-10 shooting, including 4-8 from behind the arc, to go along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Her four assists and two steals were also team-highs for the Trees. Williams also ended with the best +/- during the game on Friday, ending at +16.
Tiara Wallace (LUC) - Loyola senior guard Tiara Wallace averaged 9.5 points, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks in the Ramblers’ two games in Iowa this past weekend. In Friday’s matchup with UNI, Wallace finished with a team-best 10 points (5-8 FGs) in addition to four assists and two blocks, also team high marks. She added nine points (4-8 FGs, 1-2 3FGs), two assists, and two steals on Sunday at Drake. The Berkeley, Ill. product enters the second half of Missouri Valley Conference play currently ranked second in the league in assists, handing out 4.4 helpers per game.
Karli Rucker (UNI) - Karli Rucker averaged 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal in two UNI wins. She had 15 points on 6-13 shooting against Loyola and 17 points on 5-16 shooting against Valparaiso, including a dagger three to break up a big run with just over a minute remaining to help UNI clinch a win. She had 17 points, five assists and a career-high two blocks against Valparaiso. UNI is 8-0 at home.
Makenzie Silvey (SIU) - Makenzie Silvey averaged 18.5 points on 51.9% shooting (14-of-27) to go along with 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in SIU’s split over the weekend. The Glen Carbon, Ill. native scored 11 points on Friday against Illinois State and followed with a game-high 26 points on 55-percent (10-of-18) in SIU’s 64-50 win over Bradley on Sunday. Silvey had a terrific game on both ends of the floor and added four boards, three assists and two steals. On the defensive end, she held 2019 MVC Freshman of the Year Lasha Petree to 11 points on 12 shots. It marked the eighth time already this season that Silvey has scored 20-plus points in a game.
Grace Hales (VALPO) - Hales scored 15 points in both of Valpo’s games last weekend and connected on 50% of her 3-point attempts, hitting a milestone in one game and moving among Valpo’s all-time best in the other. She led Valpo against Drake with a team-best 15 points, and with her final basket became the 16th player in program history to score 1,000 career points. Hales added 15 more points Sunday at UNI, along with six rebounds and three steals. She connected on three 3-pointers against the Panthers, in the process moving into Valpo’s career top-10 in 3-pointers made. Hales closed the weekend tied for ninth in program history with 146 career 3-pointers and tied for 15th in program history with 1,015 career points.
Sarah Beth Gueldner (DU) - Sarah Beth Gueldner provided the Bulldogs with some key three-pointers in the wins over the weekend. Gueldner started with a career-high 16 points in the Valpo win, including making 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and she added a career-best three rebounds and one steal and one block. She followed that with five points in the Ramblers win. In her first season, she is averaging 4.9 points per game and leads the team in three-point shooting percentage at 40.0 percent and is behind Becca Hittner (44) in three-pointers made with 26.
Abby Feit (UE) - On the road in a rivalry matchup, freshman Abby Feit turned in another impressive performance. Against Indiana State on Friday, Feit scored a team-high 16 points, adding six rebounds, and three blocks. Feit was efficient from the field, going 6-12 on the night.
Sam Galanopoulos (LUC) - Loyola freshman guard Sam Galanopoulos averaged 9.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the Maroon & Gold’s weekend trip through Iowa. Galanopoulos provided a spark off the bench in Friday’s visit to UNI, chipping in six points (2-6 FGs, 2-3 FTs), three rebounds, two assists, and a block. In Sunday’s weekend finale at Drake, the Niles, Ill. native matched a season high by scoring 13 points (5-7 FGs, 1-2 3FGs, 2-2 FTs) to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Since the start of MVC play, Galanopoulos is averaging 5.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.
Kristina Cavey (UNI) - Kristina Cavey averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in two Panther wins. She has 12 points on 5-10 shooting and three offensive rebounds against Valparaiso.
Gabby Walker (SIU) - Gabby Walker averaged 9.0 points on 57.1-percent shooting in 20 minutes off the bench. The redshirt junior scored a team-high 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Illinois State Friday night, which marked the sixth time this season she has reached double figures.
Carie Weinman (VALPO) - Weinman averaged 14 points and three steals per game over the Crusaders’ two games last weekend. She opened the weekend with nine points and a game-high four steals at Drake. Weinman then led all players in the game at UNI, scoring 19 points - one shy of her season high - on 7-of-13 shooting and adding four rebounds. With six steals on the weekend, Weinman now has 38 thefts on the year and ranks second in the Valley in steals/game.