MAC Women's Basketball Players of the Week Announced
MAC East Player of the Week:
Anita Brown / Akron / Guard
Sr. / Warren, Ohio / Warren Harding
Senior Anita Brown directed Akron’s efforts in the Zips’ 91-77 setback at Florida Atlantic registering a team-high 27 points. She connected on nearly 48 percent (.476) of her shots from the field, while hitting 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. She also pulled down seven rebounds, while dishing out three assists.
MAC West Player of the Week:
Presley Hudson / Central Michigan / Guard
Fr. / Wayland, Mich / Wayland Union
Presley Hudson guided the Chippewas to their first 2-0 start since 2010 as Central Michigan earned a pair of wins over Indiana State and Oakland University in convincing fashion, outscoring its opponents by an average of 21.5 points. The freshman guard led the Chippewas in scoring with 53 points over the two games, averaging 26.5 during the weekend. Hudson led all scorers with 21 points in the season opener against Indiana State and again in Sunday’s match-up recording 32 points in CMU’s 110-87 win over Oakland. Hudson shot an impressive 60 percent from the floor (21-of-35) and was lights out from 3-point range making nearly 50 percent of her attempts (8-of-17). The Wayland, Mich. native led the Maroon and Gold in steals (5) and averaged 4.5 rebounds and assists in the pair of wins.
Other Nominees:
Sydney Lambert / Bowling Green / Guard
Fr. / Cincinnati, Ohio / McAuley
Bowling Green freshman guard Sydney Lambert scored in double digits in each of her first two collegiate games as the Falcons opened the season with a pair of wins. Lambert averaged 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in BGSU’s wins over Illinois State (70-52) and Bradley (66-53). She led the Falcons in scoring, assists and steals (1.5 spg) on the week, shooting .474 from the field, including a 4-for-8 performance from three-point land. Lambert paced BGSU in three-pointers made in the two games. Her well-rounded stat line vs. ISU included 13 points, four rebounds, a game-high four assists, a BG-best three steals and a blocked shot. Two of those steals came on back to back possessions, leading to a pair of three-pointers as BG went on a 21-0 run in the second quarter to seize control of the game. On Sunday, Lambert had a team-leading 14 points in the Falcons’ 66-53 win over Bradley.
Joanna Smith / Buffalo / Guard
Jr. / Southaven, Miss. / Southaven
Joanna Smith was the Bulls leading scorer in their season opening victory over LIU Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. Smith finished off her impressive game with a game-high 15 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Smith not only led the Bulls in scoring, the junior also led the Bulls defensively as her pressure defense forced multiple turnovers while earning two steals for herself. The shooting guard helped UB hold LIU Brooklyn to 38 points, the lowest total against UB since Feb. 23, 2013.
Larissa Lurken / Kent State / Guard
Jr. / Cottage Grove, Minn. / Park
Lurken netted a career-high 23 points on Sunday afternoon to help lead the Golden Flashes to a season-opening victory against Colgate. She scored 23 points, including a strong 4-for-7 performance from three-point range. Lurken also sink 5 of her 6 free throw attempts, grabbed six rebounds and had two steals in the winning effort.
Leah Purvis / Miami / Guard
Fr. / Los Angeles, Calif. / The Buckley School
Freshman point guard Leah Purvis had a strong debut for Miami on Friday against NKU in its only game of the week. She scored 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting. She was deadly behind the arc, hitting 4-for-8 on her three points. She also contributed three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 34 minutes of action.
Kiyanna Black / Ohio / Guard
Sr. / Columbus, Ohio / Columbus Afrocentric
Senior guard Kiyanna Black led the Bobcats their 62-53 season opening loss at Illinois on Sunday, Nov. 15. In the game, Black dropped 18 points and added five boards. Black also snagged two steals and dished out one assist in her 35 minutes of action. Black also went 7-of-21 from the field and 4-of-13 from beyond the arc. In the game, Black made crucial three-pointers to keep Ohio in the game late, including a three pointer to pull the Bobcats within two point with 2:39 left in the game. With her 18 points, Black now has 1,198 in her career, placing her seventh all-time in program history.
Moriah Monaco / Ball State / Guard
So. / Dover, Ohio / Dover
Monaco led the Cardinals with an 18-point performance at Charlotte Friday night which is just one shy of her career high at Ball State. Monaco’s 18 points in the season opener were the most points by a sophomore in a season opener since Audrey McDonald’s 19 points vs. No. 21 Louisville in 2007. Monaco’s 18 points were also the fourth best season opening performance overall since 2006.
Ally Lehman / Northern Illinois / Guard
Jr. / Nineveh, Ind. / Indian Creek
Posted her fifth career double-double and the second-consecutive game with one, scoring 11 points and pulling down 12 rebounds … Shot 5-of-15 from the field … Led the Huskies with 33 minutes on the floor …
Brenae Harris / Toledo / Guard
Sr. / Marion, Ohio / Marion
Senior Brenae Harris led Toledo with 12 points, four assists and three boards in a contest-best 35 minutes vs. Arizona in Saturday’s season opener. Harris shot an efficient 4-of-7 from the field and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe to score in double figures for 18th time in her collegiate career.
Teagan Reeves / Western Michigan / Forward
So. / Three Rivers, Mich. / Three Rivers
Western Michigan sophomore forward Teagan Reeves averaged 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game this past week, as WMU opened the season with a 1-1 record, defeating UW Parkside and falling at No. 24 Michigan State. Reeves scored a career-high 21 points and was the game’s leading scorer in WMU’s victory against Parkside. She also pulled down six rebounds and set a career high for minutes played with 28, while tying a career high with three blocks. Reeves scored the Bronco’s first five points of the second half and had 13 points in the final 20 minutes. Two days later, Reeves scored six points and had seven rebounds at nationally No. 24 ranked Michigan State. She also recorded two blocks against the Spartans and had a steal.
