Drake's Megan Meyer averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game as the Bulldogs finished the week 1-1 at the FIU Thanksgiving Classic in Miami, earning her first MVC Player of the Week honor of her career.
Illinois State graduate transfer Paige Robinson averaged 20.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as the Redbirds went 2-1 at the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament, earning her second-straight Newcomer of the Week honor.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Megan Meyer, Sr., G, Drake
Preseason All-Conference honoree and reigning MVC Newcomer of the Year Megan Meyer put together a career weekend at the FIU Thanksgiving Classic in Miami, Fla. The senior guard averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and a block over two non-conference matchups. In the Bulldogs’ first tilt, an overtime loss to Atlantic 10 Conference favorite UMass, Meyer poured in a career high 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 7-of-13 shooting from three-point range. She followed the personal best performance with another 16 points in a 97-60 blowout of Howard.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Paige Robinson, Gr., G, Illinois State
Robinson would continue her hot streak in the early portion of the 2022-23 season as she helped ISU secure a pair of wins in the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament this past weekend. The Bethany native would average 20.6 points/game, leading the Redbirds in scoring during each three games, while also averaging 5.0 rebounds/game, and 3.0 assists per game. Against the Tritons of UC San Diego, Robinson finished with a game high 24 points and added 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists, and 3 steals in the 17-point win. Following that up against the Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech, she would go for 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Finally, against the home town Rebels, Robinson went for 19 points again and added four rebounds to her stat line.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Destinee Wells (BEL) - Junior guard Destinee Wells was sensational at the Gulf Coast Showcase in southwest Florida over Thanksgiving weekend, averaging a team-best 16.3 points and 4.3 assists while going 12-for-12 at the free-throw line and hitting five of her 13 three-point attempts. Reaching double figures against both 23rd-ranked Villanova and Saint Louis, Wells scored the most points by a Bruin in a single game this season with a season-high 26 in Belmont’s 78-68 victory over the Billikens Saturday. She went 8-for-15 from the field in the win, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, and was a perfect 7-for-7 at the foul line. Wells added four assists and a trio of rebounds in the triumph after scoring 16 against the nationally ranked Wildcats Friday afternoon. Going 5-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-5 at the charity stripe in the Bruins’ narrow loss to Villanova, Wells ended the week with a season-best six assists Sunday afternoon in a six-point setback to the ACC’s Georgia Tech.
Alex Rouse (BRAD) - Rouse had a career game on Tuesday against Missouri Baptist, quite literally so. The sophomore either set or tied five career highs: points (17), field goals made (6), free throws made (5), rebounds (7), and steals (2). Rouse stands at second on the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game.
Abby Feit (UE) - Following the holiday, senior guard/forward Abby Feit helped lead Evansville to a convincing home win. On Saturday, Feit tallied her 26th career double-double in a 97-72 UE win over Miami (Ohio), pouring-in 19 points and adding 12 boards in the victory.
Josie Filer (UIC) - Filer was UIC’s top scorer and top rebounder in helping the Flames win three out of four games this week. She averaged 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds over the four games, which included two wins in the Hostilo Hoops Classic in Savanna, Ga. and an overtime win over St. Thomas. Filer had 18 points and a career best four 3-pointers in UIC’s win over Davidson. She posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds against the Tommies. Over the week, Filer shot 63% from the floor, 54.5% from 3-point distance, and 89% from the free throw line. The Flames have won three in a row and at 6-1, are off to their best start since 2015-16.
Isabelle Delarue (MOST) - Sophomore Isabelle Delarue led the way for the Missouri State Lady Bears last week as they went 1-1 at the Las Vegas Invitational. Delarue was MSU’s leading scorer on the week, averaging 11.5 points across the two games. She also averaged 3.5 rebounds per game and went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe, while leading the team with five three-point field goals for a .417 mark from beyond the arc for the tournament. In Missouri State’s win over UTSA, Delarue scored a team-high 15 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range while also going 3-for-3 from the free throw line and pulling down four rebounds. In the final game of the tournament against Middle Tennessee, Delarue scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds.
Katelyn Young (MUR) - Young posted her first double of the season Saturday at Alabama A&M by scoring 21 points to go along with 12 rebounds. The junior was 6-for-14 from the floor in the game and 9-for-10 at the free throw line. She also finished the game with one assist and one block..
Grace Boffeli (UNI) - Boffeli was named to the Cancun Challenge Riviera Division All-Tournament team this past week and for good reason. In two games against Tulane and Vanderbilt, Boffeli averaged double figures in points at 14.5 and almost a double-double with nine rebounds. Boffeli added her third double-double of the season against the Commodores in UNI’s tight 65-63 win over their first Power 5 team since 2019. Boffeli also added 14 points and 8 rebounds in UNI’s 82-60 win over the Green Wave.
Ashley Jones (SIU) - Southern Illinois graduate student Ashley Jones averaged 14.3 ppg, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 apg and 2.33 spg last week as SIU went 1-2, including 1-1 at the Christmas City Classic, hosted by Lehigh University. In a win over host Lehigh, Jones had 16 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals.
Leah Earnest (VU) - Earnest had another pair of strong performances in the Beacons’ two games last week. The junior opened with 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for a double-double against UAB last Monday. Earnest then knocked down all three of her 3-point attempts on Sunday at Northwestern as she finished with a team-best 13 points and added five rebounds. Earnest leads the MVC in rebounding, averaging 10.0/game, and ranks eighth nationally in defensive rebounds per game.
Sydni Harvey (BEL) - Graduate guard Sydni Harvey had a breakout performance at the Gulf Coast Showcase in her return to the Gulf Coast of Florida. After spending the first four years of her collegiate career at South Florida in Tampa, Harvey averaged 14.3 points in three games over Thanksgiving weekend in Estero, Florida. Reaching double figures against both 23rd-ranked Villanova and Saint Louis, Harvey scored a season-high 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting in Belmont’s near upset of the Wildcats Friday afternoon. She scored 13 points in the fourth quarter in the narrow loss to nationally ranked Villanova, tallying 10 consecutive points to even the score at 68 with seven minutes remaining. Harvey finished the game 6-for-10 from deep before scoring 11 points in the Bruins’ 78-68 triumph over the Billikens Saturday. Adding four rebounds and three assists in the win, Harvey finished the week by hitting a clutch three-pointer against Georgia Tech Sunday afternoon. Harvey’s late-game transition trey put Belmont up by four with four minutes remaining, despite the Yellow Jackets escaping with the victory. For the week, Harvey was 10-of-26 (.385) from distance.
Barbora Tomancova (UE) - Continuing to make a name for herself in the white and purple, redshirt-junior center Barbora Tomancova recorded a double-double in a big UE win. Helping the Aces to a 97-72 triumph over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday, Tomancova racked-up 17 points and 10 boards for her second double-double as an Ace.
Sara Zabecky (UIC) - Zabrecky was the leader of a 3-point barrage for UIC in their four games this week, three of which were wins. She had a career game against Davidson, posting 18 points on five made 3’s and collecting five rebounds – all career highs. She made two triples against Austin Peay, and added three more against St. Thomas, including a game-tying triple in overtime. Zabrecky shot 40% from downtown on the week and averaged 8.8 points.
Aniya Thomas (MOST) - Transfer Aniya Thomas was an all-around performer for the Lady Bears last week as they went 1-1 at the Las Vegas Invitational. Thomas averaged 10 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, while going 10-for-10 from the free throw line. She also led the team with 13 total assists and was second with five steals for the tournament. In MSU’s victory against UTSA, Thomas dropped 14 points in addition to dishing out a career-high nine assists to just one turnover. She also went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe and tied for the game lead with four steals, while grabbing two rebounds in the win over the Roadrunners. In the tournament finale against Middle Tennessee, Thomas scored six point and grabbed five rebounds as she once again was perfect from the free throw line (4-for-4). She once again led the team in assists with four and collected another steal versus the Blue Raiders.
Taryn Wharton (UNI) - Freshman point guard Taryn Wharton made a statement in Cancun, making her first triple of the year and setting a season high in points with 9 against Vanderbilt. Wharton averaged 6.5 points in 11 minutes and added an assist in the Panthers first game against Tulane.
Ali Saunders (VU) - Saunders broke Valpo’s freshman single-game scoring record last Monday against UAB, pouring in 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting while also grabbing eight rebounds. Saunders’ 32 points are tied for 12th in a single game overall in Valpo history and rank 2nd in a game in the MVC this season. She is one of only three D-I freshmen nationally to score 32 or more points in a game this season and is tied for the D-I high for points in a game coming off the bench. Saunders followed with five points and four rebounds on Sunday at Northwestern.