Belmont's Destinee Wells averaged 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 46.0% from the field as the Bruins beat Chattanooga and took #7 Louisville down to the wire to open the season, earning the first MVC Player of the Week honor of her career.
UIC graduate transfer Josie Filer scored 20 points with five rebounds as the Flames beat IUPUI in the season opener, earning her first Newcomer of the Week honor.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Destinee Wells, Jr., G, Belmont
Junior guard Destinee Wells has been nothing shy of extraordinary in the first two games of the season, scoring 20 points in Belmont’s gritty come-from-behind 56-54 opening night victory over the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and notching 20 points in the Bruins’ narrow 75-70 home loss to No. 7/5 Louisville Sunday. Scoring 26 of her 40 points on the week in the fourth quarter, Wells averaged 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and a steal in the two games. The Lakeland, Tennessee (Houston HS), native led Belmont back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit against the visiting Mocs Wednesday night. Her old-fashioned three-point play ignited a 13-2 Bruin run that got Belmont back in the game. Wells then clinched the season opening win by hitting a pair of clutch free throws with 24.4 seconds remaining, giving the Bruins their first lead of the contest and completing the comeback. She also pulled down a career-high tying seven rebounds versus Chattanooga. On Sunday against the top-10 ranked Cardinals, Wells was once again magnificent in the fourth quarter where she scored 13 of her team-high 20 points. Going 7-for-10 from the field and distributing a game-high four assists, Wells put Belmont up by four with six-and-a-half minutes to go by sinking her lone three-pointer. Later, Wells gave the Bruins their final lead of the game at 68-67 and gave Belmont a chance in the final minute with a layup that made it a one-point affair. Wells went 12-for-13 at the free-throw line in the two games.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Josie Filer, Gr., F, UIC
Forward Josie Filer scored a game-high 20 points in her UIC debut, helping the Flames to a 52-50 season-opening victory on the road at IUPUI. Filer finished the game 9-of-14 from the field while bringing in five rebounds, an assist and a steal, helping the Flames pick up their first win in program history over the Jaguars. The 20-points are tied for the second most Filer has scored in her career and marked just the third 20-point performance in her collegiate career. UIC had been 0-11 all-time against IUPUI, who entered the contest No. 69 in the NCAA NET rankings, marking the Flames’ highest NET win in program history.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Grace Berg (DU) - Drake senior Grace Berg put together an impressive opening week for the Bulldog women’s hoops team. Berg started the season with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, in the Bulldogs’ debut against Green Bay (11/7). Berg’s 20 points led all scorers in the contest and matched her career-high output. She also added seven rebounds, five assists, and a block against the Phoenix. Berg continued her great start to the year with another solid performance in Drake’s overtime loss to No. 4 Iowa (11/13). She poured in an efficient 18 points on 6-of-12 field goal shooting with nine rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Myia Clark (UE) - Beginning her fifth collegiate season, guard Myia Clark put on a show in two games on the road last week. Against EKU on Monday, Clark poured-in 25 points, tying the program record for made threes in a game with eight in the Aces 89-81 win. Taking on No. 4 Iowa on Thursday, Clark again led the team in scoring, tallying 18 points on the night.
Mary Crompton (ILS) - Crompton set a new career high in points, minutes, and three-pointers made in ISU’s season opening win against Dayton on Nov. 10, finishing with 27 points (8-14 shooting) and making seven three-pointers (7-10 shooting) while playing 43 minutes……. Her 27.0 points/game is currently tied for 11th nationally with three other players this season, while also leading the Valley….. Her seven three pointers are tied for second most in program history for single-game three pointers made….. Also, her 7.0 three pointers/game is currently first in the country, ahead of Alabama’s Brittany Davis with 6.0….. Crompton would also amass 43 minutes (sixth most nationally) in Thursday’s 74-70 OT win, passing her previous career high of 42 minutes played, coming against Valparaiso in January 2021.
Anna McKendree (INS) - McKendree had arguably the best game of her Indiana State career in the Sycamores’ season opener, finishing with a game-high 19 points, team-high six rebounds, four steals and two assists in a win over Saint Louis. She was 7-for-13 from the field and 3-for-6 from distance, with two of her 3-pointers coming in the Sycamores’ fourth-quarter rally. McKendree also hit the go-ahead basket for Indiana State with a floater in the paint inside the final minute. Both of her assists came in the fourth quarter and led to a pair of Del’Janae Williams 3-pointers during Indiana State’s comeback run.
Katelyn Young (MUR) - Katelyn Young picked up where she left off last season in the opening week of the 2022-23 campaign by averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. She finished the week shooting 50.0-percent from the floor and an impressive 100.0-percent at the free throw line, making 13-of-13 attempts. The junior posted weekly highs of 23 points against Christian Brothers and six assists against Purdue, while also pulling down six boards in each of the two games. She is currently on the program’s third longest consecutive made free throw streak, at 37, dating back to last season.
Grace Boffeli (UNI) - Boffeli led the Panthers both offensively and defensively in their first week of action. In wins against St. Thomas and St. Louis, Boffeli averaged a double-double in 28 minutes a game. Against St. Thomas Boffeli led the team on offense with 19 points while being .583 from the field, and .667 from behind the arc. She also led the team in rebounds with 10 and had one block. Against the Billikens on Sunday afternoon, Boffeli scored 12 points while being .667 from both the floor and the line. She was also on triple double watch in the first half with six points, six rebounds and four assists. Boffei ended the game with 12 rebounds and five assists.
Leah Earnest (VALPO) - Earnest paced Valpo in both scoring and rebounding on the opening week of play as the Beacons started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2012-13. The junior opened the season with a career-best 20 points and a career-high tying 10 rebounds, both of which led all players, for her third career double-double in Valpo’s win at Central Michigan. Earnest followed with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting and a team-best eight rebounds as Valpo earned a victory over Southern Miss. For the week, Earnest averaged 16 points and 9 rebounds per game while shooting 66.7% (14-of-21) from the floor.
Sydni Harvey (BEL) - In just her second game as a Bruin, Harvey broke out for 15 points against one of the nation’s best. The graduate guard poured in 15 points versus the seventh-ranked Cardinals Sunday, scoring eight in the fourth quarter alone. She went 3-for-4 from outside and was 2-for-2 from three-point range in the final quarter. Adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal against Louisville, Harvey drained a three to put Belmont up 66-65 with 3:07 remaining. She finished 5-for-8 overall from the floor.
Barbora Tomancova (UE) - In her first week as an Ace, center Barbora Tomancova made an immediate impact. Against EKU, Tomancova stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points and 15 rebounds as the Aces earned an 89-81 season-opening win. Against fourth-ranked Iowa on Thursday, Tomancova added 11 points and four boards.
Chelsea Cain (INS) - Cain made an instant impact in her Indiana State debut, scoring 14 points while also adding three rebounds, three assists and two steals in a win over Saint Louis. 10 of her 14 points came in the fourth quarter to help the Sycamores overcome a 14-point deficit inside the last eight minutes, including a three-point play that kickstarted a 15-2 run to close the game. Cain was also tasked with defending Saint Louis’ post players, who had a combined three points in the fourth quarter.
Jordyn Hughes (MUR) - Jordyn Hughes had a big debut week for the Racers averaging 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists over two games. Hughes was 8-for-19 (.421) from the field last week and 4-for-12 (.333) from 3-point range. The Eastern Illinois transfer scored nine in the opener against Christian Brothers and 11 at Purdue.
Riley Wright (UNI) - In her first week of collegiate basketball, redshirt freshman Riley Wright got her first collegiate start against St. Louis. Along with her first start, Wright also was fourth in offense against the Billikens with nine points while shooting .500 from the floor and .400 from three-point range. Against St. Thomas Wright played 21 minutes for four points, one steal, and one rebound.
Ali Saunders (VU) - Saunders scored in double figures in each of her first two collegiate games to help Valpo start the year 2-0 for the first time since 2012-13. The freshman debuted with 10 points in 18 minutes off the bench in Valpo’s win at Central Michigan, going 2-of-3 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in the victory. She followed in Sunday’s win over Southern Miss with 11 points in just 13 minutes and added three assists as well. For the week, Saunders averaged 10.5 points per game on 54.5% (6-of-11) shooting from the field and 88.9% (8-of-9) from the foul line. She is the first Valpo freshman to score in double figures in the first two games of her career since Dani Franklin did so in 2014-15.