MAC Women's Basketball Players of the Week Announced
MAC East Player of the Week:
Baleigh Reid / Miami / Guard
So. / Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg
Sophomore guard Baleigh Reid was a scoring machine in leading Miami to a pair of wins last week. She averaged 24.5 points per game and shot a sizzling .564 percent. She also brought in 12 rebounds, averaging 6.0 caroms per contest. In the RedHawks’ 91-85 double overtime win over Evansville on Monday, Reid scored a career-high 29 points, hitting 13-of-24 shots in 41 minutes of action. She also brought in eight rebounds and had three assists and a steal. In leading Miami to a 75-60 victory over Austin Peay on Thursday, Reid scored 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting. She had an assist, a block and a steal in 31 minutes of action.
MAC West Player of the Week:
Nathalie Fontaine / Ball State / Guard
Sr. / Stockholm. Sweden
Fontaine led the Cardinals to 74 -60 victory in their home opener Thursday against Western Kentucky. Fontaine tied her career high by scoring 30 points and led an impressive assault at the free throw line after going 12-for-12 from the charity stripe. In the Cardinals last two games Fontaine has not missed a free throw (14-of-14). Fontaine scored 24 of her points and grabbed eight rebounds after halftime. Fontaine led the team in rebounds with 12. Fontaine currently sits in fifth place on Ball State women’s basketball all-time scoring list with 1,550 points for her career and has pulled down 676 rebounds, which is good for 10th all-time.
Other Nominees:
Anita Brown / Akron / Guard
Sr. / Warren, Ohio / Warren Harding
Posted a double-double in Friday’s win over Winthrop and then came close the following evening with a 21 point, 9 rebound performance in a loss to Florida-Gulf Coast. Named to the Akron Classic All-Tournament Team.
Lauren Tibbs / Bowling Green / Center
Sr. / Taylor Mill, Ky. / Scott
Bowling Green senior center Lauren Tibbs led the Falcons in scoring and rebounding in the team’s lone game of the week. Tibbs, playing just a few minutes from her hometown of Taylor Mill, Ky., had 11 points and nine rebounds in BGSU’s narrow loss to Cincinnati. She was 5-of-11 from the field and hit a three-pointer. Tibbs also had an assist and a blocked shot in 25 minutes of action. On the season, Tibbs is averaging 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game, leading the Falcons in both rebounds and blocks. The Falcons are 2-1 heading into a Thanksgiving weekend tournament in Wilmington, N.C.
Joanna Smith / Buffalo / Guard
Jr. / Southaven, Miss. / Southaven
Junior Joanna Smith continued to be the Bulls go to scorer this week as she led UB to a 2-0 record while averaging 15.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. Smith was at her best on Saturday afternoon as she tied a career-high with 21 points and nine rebounds as she led UB to the victory over UMass. The junior was dynamic for the Bulls as she scored the first six points of the game and finished with a season-best four three pointers on seven attempts. She also recorded a season-high nine rebounds and notched a season-high three steals as she helped the UB defense force 23 turnovers. Smith has recorded at least 15 points in six of her last nine games dating back to last season. She leads UB in scoring and rebounding this year, averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest.
Kiyanna Black / Ohio / Guard
Sr. / Columbus, Ohio / Columbus Afrocentric
Senior guard Kiyanna Black led Ohio offensively over the weekend at the Akron Classic, leading the Bobcats to a 2-0 record. On Friday, Nov. 20 against Florida Gulf Coast, Black scored 12 points and snagged six boards while dishing out one assist and registering three steals. Overall she was 5-of-15 (33.3%) from the field and 2-of-10 from the three-point line. She also when 1-for-2 from the free throw line as she helped lead Ohio to a 69-57 victory against FGCU. The following day against Winthrop, Black came out firing, draining four straight three-pointers and scoring nine points by the end of the first quarter. Overall, Black scored 23 points and grabbed five boards. She also registered one steal while dishing out three assists. From the field, Black shot 8-of-15 (53.3%) and was 5-of-12 (.416) from beyond the arc. She also hit both of her free throws in Ohio’s 75-54 victory against Winthrop. On the weekend, Black scored 36 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out four assists and registered four rebounds. Shooting, Black was 13-of-30 (.433) from the field and 7-of-21 (.318) from three-point range. She was also .750 from the charity stripe (3-of-4). Black also named the Akron Classic MVP for her performance during the two-day tournament.
Tinara Moore / Central Michigan / Forward
So. / Southgate, Mich. / Southgate
Central Michigan’s Tinara Moore had a career day against C-USA preseason favorite Middle Tennessee State last week, in an 81-59 victory. The sophomore was a dominate force in the post recording a career and game-high 24 points. The Southgate, Mich. native shot an impressive 10-of-13 (.769) from the floor, a Mid-American Conference best this season. Moore also pulled down 12 boards, which included seven on the offensive glass. Just three blocks shy of a triple-double, Moore swatted a career-high seven blocks, which is also a conference-best this season. Moore’s dominate play guided the Chippewas to their third-straight 20-plus victory and first 3-0 start since the 2005-06 season.
Janay Morton / Eastern Michigan / Guard
Jr. / Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo
Eastern Michigan University junior Janay Morton helped pace the Eagles to a pair of victories to open the season against Hillsdale, Nov. 17, and Texas Rio Grande Valley, Nov. 21. On the week, the Brooklyn Park, Minn. Native averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 steals and 4.0 assists a contest in 29.5 minutes of work. In the 78-56 victory over UTRGV, Morton surpassed 900 career points as she led the Eagles with a team-best 19 points, including a 7-of-7 mark at the free throw line. She also swiped a career-best seven steals as EMU help the potent Vaqueros’ offense without a field goal for more than 14 minutes. In the season opener, she chipped in 16 points and six caroms as the Eagles’ cruised to a season-opening victory over Hillsdale.
Natecia Augusta / Northern Illinois / Forward
RS-Sr. / Peoria, Ill. / Limestone
Posted her fifth career double-double in her second game since redshirting last season with injury, recording 14 points and 10 rebounds … Played in 19 minutes … Finished the game 7-of-11 from the field for a clip of .636 … Led the Huskies in scoring as NIU recorded its largest margin of victory since Nov. 30, 2013.
Ana Capotosto / Toledo / Forward
Sr. / Saugatuck, Mich. / Saugatuck
Senior Ana Capotosto averaged a team-high 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.5 steals in two games at the URI Tip-Off Classic over the weekend. Capotosto shot an efficient 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the field against Albany and Harvard, including 50.0 percent (3-of-6) from three-point range, and 75.0 percent (6-of-8) from the charity stripe in 26.5 minutes. She was one of two Rockets in score in double figures in both contests, en route to being named to the All-Tournament Team. The two-time team captain opened the weekend with 11 points against the Great Danes on Saturday. The following afternoon versus the Crimson, Capotosto totaled a team-high 14 points, a squad-best seven boards and one theft in 28 minutes.
Meredith Shipman / Western Michigan / Guard
Jr. / Fort Wayne, Ind. / Snyder
After not starting a game a season ago, Shipman has stepped into the starting role with the Broncos and has found her place. In her game against Chicago State, Shipman helped WMU turn a 26-23 halftime lead into a 51-33 advantage headed into the fourth quarter. She caught fire and did not miss a shot in the third quarter, where she scored all 11 of her points. She went 4-for-7 for the game and was 4-for-4 with three 3’s in the third. Against No. 20 Northwestern, she helped keep the Broncos in the game in the second quarter with a six points shooting 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and adding two assists in the quarter. At this point, her scoring average has more than doubled and her rebounding average is more than triple a season ago.
