Drake's Maggie Bair averaged 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 65.4% from the field as the Bulldogs won at South Dakota and lost 75-71 at No. 18 Creighton. The award is the third MVC Player of the Week honor of her career.
Missouri State transfer Indya Green scored 12 points with 14 rebounds as the Lady Bears earned a road win at TCU, earning her first Newcomer of the Week honor.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Maggie Bair, Sr., F, Drake
Senior forward Maggie Bair put together a solid week of action for the Bulldogs, averaging 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 65.4% from the floor. Bair was just one rebound away from posting back-to-back double-doubles in Drake’s two games. She began the week with 16 points and nine rebounds on 67% shooting from the field in Drake’s 83-54 road win at South Dakota. Bair one-upped herself in Drake’s narrow loss to No. 18 Creighton with 26 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and two assists on 11-of-17 shooting. Her output against Creighton included a pair of three-pointers and marked her 10th career double-double, and second of the season. Bair currently ranks sixth nationally with a field goal percentage of 67.9%. She is also the third-highest scorer in The Valley with an average of 17.3 points per game.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Indya Green, So., F, Missouri State
Sophomore Indya Green logged her third double-double of the season with her 12-point, 14-rebound performance in MSU’s win on the road at TCU, where the Horned Frogs owned a 73-38 record inside Schollmaier Arena prior to the game. Green was the game’s leader with six offensive boards, while tying with teammate Sydney Wilson for a game-high eight defensive rebounds. The Springfield native also had one assist, one steal and went 2-for-2 from the free throw line as MSU recorded a win over a Power Five opponent for the 10th consecutive season. Green pulled down six of Missouri State’s 20 first quarter rebounds and had 10 boards at the half, while scoring six of her 12 points in a crucial third quarter that helped the Lady Bears build their lead over TCU.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Kilyn McGuff (BEL) - Sophomore guard Kilyn McGuff was phenomenal in Belmont’s lone game of the week as she helped the lead Bruins to their first December victory of the season last Monday at rival Lipscomb in the 76th Battle of the Boulevard. Scoring a career-best 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting, McGuff led all scorers and collected five rebounds to go along with a block. She went 2-for-4 from beyond the arc and was 5-for-6 at the free-throw line. With 14 of her 25 points coming in the second half, McGuff went 5-for-8 from the field and 3-for-3 at the foul line across the final 20 minutes of play. The 77-68 triumph was Belmont’s first true road win of 2022-23.
Alex Rouse (BRAD) - Alex Rouse tied her season-high for points with 17 against Eastern Illinois. She also had 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in the win for Bradley. This is her fourth game in a row scoring in double digits.
Del’Janae Williams (INS) - Williams had a season-high 23 points in the Sycamores’ last game at Western Michigan, making eight of her 15 attempts from the field. Five of her eight baskets were 3-pointers, setting a career high in the process. Williams also added a team-leading five rebounds along with three assists against WMU. 12 of her 23 points came in the first quarter, allowing the Sycamores to score their most points in an opening frame this season (27).
Sydney Wilson (MOST) - Missouri State fifth-year senior Sydney Wilson recorded her first double-double of the season with a 13-point, 10-rebound performance in MSU’s win at TCU to mark MSU’s 10th consecutive season with a win over a Power Five opponent. Wilson tied for the game high with eight defensive boards, while also dishing out three assists. The veteran came up big in the clutch for the Lady Bears, going a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range with both triples coming in a crucial second half. For the game, Wilson went 7-for-8 from the free throw line, but more importantly, she knocked down 5-of-6 free throws in the final 1:52 to keep the Lady Bears ahead of the Horned Frogs in a four-point victory. With the win, Wilson passed Jackie Stiles and moved into a tie for third place all time in career victories at MSU with 102.
Grace Boffeli (UNI) - Despite battling a difficult cold, Boffeli continued to lead the Panthers in scoring in their 79-70 win over North Dakota State last week. Boffeli put up her seventh double-digit performance of the year against the Bison with 17 points. She particularly excelled from the floor, going 6 of 10 (60%) in field goal range. Boffeli also led UNI in rebounds against NDSU with eight, coming just two shy of her fourth double-double of the season. Along with leading the Panthers in rebounds, Boffeli contributed one of the team’s seven steals against the Bison.
Quierra Love (SIU) - Southern Illinois junior center Quierra Love had a career-high 12 assists (10 in the first half) and 11 points (4-of-4 from the field, 1-1 from 3-point range) for a double-double in SIU’s 100-72 win over Tennessee State last week. Love also pulled down three rebounds and had three steals.
Paige Robinson (ILS) - Robinson continues leading the way for Illinois State in scoring as the 2022-23 non-conference slate winds down for the Redbirds. As part of a 1-1 week for ISU, the Bethany, Illinois native would average 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4 assists in two games for the Redbirds. First, in a 66-51 win over DII Missouri-St. Louis, Robinson went off for 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists over 31 minutes of action. The Bethany native would also shoot 7-12 from the field (.583) and 3-5 (.600) from three-point range to lead all scorers on Tuesday 12/6. Despite a 64-51 shortcoming for ISU on the road against Purdue on Sunday, Robinson once more led all scorers with her 21 points. Along with her 21 points, Robinson contributed seven rebounds and three assists. Most notably against the Boilermakers, she would also be one of two athletes for ISU to go perfect from the free-throw line (4-4) along with teammate Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor (2-2).
Taryn Wharton (UNI) - Wharton continues to grow her game on the floor after another strong performance against the North Dakota State Bison on Tuesday. Wharton spent half of the game leading a Panther offense that was 46.3% from the floor while contributing eight points herself. Along with finding her scoring, Wharton helped UNI on the defensive side of the ball. Wharton pulled down four rebounds in 20 minutes and recorded her fourth steal of the year, creating a turnover opportunity for the Panthers. Wharton was also the only UNI player perfect from the field, going 3 of 3 through her time on the floor.
Promise Taylor (SIU) - Southern Illinois junior center Promise Taylor had 16 points and went a perfect 7-of-7 from the field while adding seven rebounds and five blocks in the Salukis 100-72 victory over Tennessee State last week. Taylor also went 2-of-7 from the line and had a +/- of 24 in the victory.