MAC Women's Basketball Players of the Week Announced
MAC East Player of the Week:
Joanna Smith / Buffalo / Guard
Jr. / Southaven, Miss. / Southaven
Junior guard Joanna Smith continued to be the Bulls go to player and she performed admirably against Niagara, leading UB to their seventh win of the season. Smith exploded offensively, tying a career-high with 26 points on 10-for-15 from the floor. After just two points in the opening quarter, Smith went off for 18 points over the next two quarter for the Bulls as she went over 20 points for the third time on the year. Smith also grabbed five defensive rebounds while notching a season-high three steals and two assists in the Bulls 57-48 victory. Smith has now led the Bulls in scoring eight times this season while averaging a team-best 15.0 PPG and ranking second on the squad in rebounding (5.2 RPG).
MAC West Player of the Week:
Nathalie Fontaine / Ball State / Guard
Sr. / Stockholm. Sweden
Nathalie Fontaine broke the Ball State women's basketball single-game scoring record after a career-high 43-point performance in the Cardinals 73-53 victory at Evansville last Monday night in the Ford Center. With the win, Ball State improves to 7-3 overall. Fontaine becomes the first Cardinal in over 12 years to break the Ball State women's basketball single-game scoring record, which was held by former Cardinal Tamara Bowie (1999-03). Bowie scored 40 points twice, once in 2003 and in 2001. With her 43 points, Fontaine was the only Cardinal to be sent to the free throw line making 11-of-13 from the charity stripe. She also shot 66 percent from the field (16-of-24). Fontaine out-scored Evansville 19-to-8 in the third quarter to help Ball State take a commanding 54-36 lead over the Purple Aces. She also moved into third all-time on Ball State’s scoring list with 1,742 points. Fontaine currently leads the Mid-American Conference in scoring averaging 23.6 points per game and she currently is the sixth best scorer in the nation.
Other Nominees:
Anita Brown / Akron / Guard
Sr. / Warren, Ohio / Warren Harding
Senior Anita Brown directed Akron to its third straight victory last Monday, Dec. 21, registering a 19-point, 14-rebound and three-assist effort in a win over Youngstown State. The Penguins came into the affair boasting a 9-1 record and were dismantled by Brown and the Zips in very facet of the game. Brown connected on more than 47 percent (.471) of her shots from the field en route to scoring a game-high 19 points. She also pulled down a career-best 14 rebounds, including nine on the defensive glass. She distributed three assists against only one turnover. The double-digit scoring effort marked the 20th consecutive game in which she has posted 10 or more points. On the season, Brown leads the Zips in scoring (21.9 ppt) and rebound (8.0 rpg), while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor.
Sydney Lambert / Bowling Green / Guard
Fr. / Cincinnati, Ohio / McAuley
Bowling Green freshman Sydney Lambert scored a game-high 14 points in the Falcons’ lone game of the week, a 58-45 loss to mid-major power South Dakota State on Monday (Dec. 21). She led the Falcons and tied for game honors with four assists. Lambert’s point total tied her career best, and she played a career-high 37 minutes against the Jackrabbits. Lambert either scored or assisted on 17 of the Falcons' 19 first-half points vs. SDSU. She scored all eight of her team's second quarter points, including back-to-back three-point field goals just 25 seconds apart. Lambert had 14 points, tying her season high, vs. the Jacks. On the season, Lambert is averaging 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. She leads the team in assists and is second in scoring. Lambert is shooting 40.5% from three-point range, with a team-high 15 long-range makes in 37 attempts. She is eighth in the MAC in three-point percentage.
Cassie Breen / Central Michigan / Guard
So. / Woodhaven, Mich. / Woodhaven
Central Michigan’s Cassie Breen led the Chippewas to a 78-65 win over SIUE last Monday, snapping CMU’s four-game losing streak. The sophomore was lights out in CMU’s lone game of the week scoring a career-high 30 points, making a career-high eight triples. Breen’s eight 3-pointers is a game-high among the conference this season. The sharp shooter is averaging 3.1 triples per game, 11th –best in the country. Breen shot an impressive 57 percent (8-of-14) from downtown, and 10-of-19 from the floor in 32 minutes of action. She also added two boards, one steal and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.
Phillis Webb / Eastern Michigan / Guard
Jr. / Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo
Junior Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) led EMU with a career-best 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting against Michigan, while finishing just one rebound shy of the double-double. She also dished out three assists while posting a steal and a block. With the game tied at 62-all and just 15 seconds left, Webb hit a jumper to give the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish.
It is the ninth time in program history the Eagles have knocked off Michigan. It is also the first victory by a MAC squad over a team from the Big Ten Conference since the 2013-14 campaign when Bowling Green also edged the Wolverines (W, 63-53) at the Stroh Center, March 27, 2014.
Miracle Woods / Western Michigan / Forward
Sr. / Fort Wayne, Ind. / Bishop Luers
Woods led the Broncos in scoring with 12 points against Florida Gulf Coast at the Puerto Rico Classic, which was the second highest total of the game. Earlier in the week in Puerto Rico, Woods became just the second player in WMU history to have 1000+ points, 600+ rebounds and 100+ blocks joining Bronco hall of famer and former assistant coach Kristin (Koetsier) McNally.
