Women's Basketball

MVC Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (February 10)

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Player of the Week: Kendal Cheesman, Belmont
Newcomer of the Week: Gift Uchenna, Southern Illinois
Freshman of the Week: Lainie Douglas, Missouri State

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PLAYER OF THE WEEK: KENDAL CHEESMAN, BELMONT
6-2 | Sr. | Forward | Tampa, Fla.
Belmont’s Kendal Cheesman helped the Bruins extend their win streak to 10 games with a pair of victories against Valparaiso and UIC. Cheesman shot 56% from the floor, including 40% from 3-point territory, while nearly averaging a double-double. In the weekend opener, Cheesman registered her team-best fifth double-double of the season and 10th of her career with 21 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. She accounted for 13 of Belmont’s 18 second-quarter points against the Beacons. Cheesman narrowly missed another double-double on Sunday, registering 14 points and eight rebounds against the Flames. She has finished in double figures in five-straight games heading into this week. 

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NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: GIFT UCHENNA, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
6-3 | Jr. | Forward | Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Southern Illinois’ Gift Uchenna averaged 16.0 points and 16.5 rebounds while adding three steals and six blocks on the week. Uchenna opened with a 20-point, 19-rebound performance as the Salukis topped Evansville, 72-69. She followed that performance with a 12-point, 14-rebound outing against Indiana State. The junior ranks second
nationally in rebounds per game (13.5) and is the only player in The Valley averaging a double-double this season.

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FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: LAINIE DOUGLAS, MISSOURI STATE
6-3 | Fr. | Forward | Overland Park, Kan.
For the third-straight week, Missouri State’s Lainie Douglas has been tabbed the MVC Freshman of the Week. In her first career start against Indiana State, Douglas went 9-of-13 from the floor, finishing with a career-high 20 points. She also tied her career high, grabbing nine rebounds against the Sycamores. Douglas matched a career high in each contest with three blocks, and ranked in the top eight in the Conference last week in blocks, field goal percentage, scoring and rebounding.