MAC Women's Basketball Players of the Week Announced
MAC East Player of the Week:
Lauren Tibbs / Bowling Green / Center
5-Sr. / Taylor Mill, Ky. / Scott
Bowling Green senior center Lauren Tibbs led the Falcons in a plethora of categories as BGSU split a pair of games last week. Tibbs averaged 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots against Toledo and Kent State. She shot 66.7% from the field (20-of-30) and a perfect 100% from three-point range (5-for-5) in the two games. Tibbs had a season-high 22 points vs. the Rockets, then topped that total with 24 points at KSU. In the UT game, she had a game-high nine rebounds and tied for game honors with three blocks, and the Falcons’ center was a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Tibbs made 9-of-15 shots from the field in that game. At KSU, Tibbs led all players in points (24), rebounds (eight) and blocks (four), and she added a pair of assists and a steal. Tibbs went 11-of-15 from the field and again was perfect (2-for-2) from three-point range. Her total of 11 field goals made in that game is the highest by a Falcon in over four years (since January of 2012). On the season, Tibbs is averaging 12.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and she leads the MAC and ranks among the national leaders with a field-goal percentage of 57.8%. Tibbs is shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc (14-for-32). In MAC games only, Tibbs has 13.7 ppg and 7.0 rpg, and she is shooting 56.9% overall and an incredible 47.8% (11-for-23) from three-point range.
MAC West Player of the Week:
Janice Monakana / Toledo / Forward
Jr. / London, England / Greig City Academy
Junior Janice Monakana contributed a team-high 21.5 points and a squad-best 7.5 rebounds in two Toledo victories this past week. Monakana helped the Midnight Blue & Gold pull within one game of first place in the MAC West Division standings in 34.0 minutes per contest with road triumphs against arch-rival Bowling Green and MAC West Division frontrunner Central Michigan.
Monakana opened the week with a career-high 28 points and a contest-tying best eight caroms in 35 minutes at BGSU on Wednesday. The London, England native knocked down a career-tying best four triples against the Falcons to post at least 20 points for the fifth time in his collegiate career. Monakana single-handedly outscored Bowling Green in the first half, 18-16, to lift UT to its sixth win in the last seven meetings versus its arch-rivals. Three days later against the Chippewas, Monakana totaled 15 points, seven boards and two helpers in 33 minutes.
Overall this season, Monakana is averaging 11.1 points, a team-high 5.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.2 blocks and 0.9 steals in 25.9 minutes per game.
Other Nominees:
Anita Brown / Akron / Guard
Sr. / Warren, Ohio / Warren Harding
Senior Anita Brown continued her stellar campaign in a pair of contests for the Zips this past week averaging 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Brown scored 17 points in a win over Kent State last Wednesday, Feb. 17, including 14 in the second half, and pulled down 10 rebounds to notch her fifth double-double of the season. She followed with a game-high 29-point seven-rebound performance versus Ohio. On the season, Brown is averaging a team-best 21.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Joanna Smith / Buffalo / Guard
Jr. / Southaven, Miss. / Southaven
Junior guard Joanna Smith continued to prove she was one of the best scoring threats in the conference last week as she helped UB go 1-1 on the week while averaging 20.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Smith was not the problem in Wednesday’s loss to Eastern Michigan as she finished with a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds while drilling four three-pointers. On Saturday, Smith led the Bulls to victory over Miami as she netted a game-high 19 points to go along with seven boards, two assists and a steal while connecting on three triples. On the year, Smith leads the Bulls and ranks third in the MAC in scoring (18.5 PPG) while also ranking second on the Bulls in rebounding (5.8 RPG). In MAC games the sharp shooter has picked up her level of play as she ranks second in the conference in scoring (20.6 PPG) and third in three-pointers made (46). The Southaven, Mississippi native has produced 13 games of 20+ points including 11 in her last 16 games. She has also netted at least one three-pointer in all 25 games and 3+ three-pointers made in 15 of 25 games.
Kiyanna Black / Ohio / Guard
Sr. / Columbus, Ohio / Columbus Afrocentric
Ohio women’s basketball senior guard Kiyanna Black led Ohio offensively once again, leading the Bobcats to a 2-0 weekend and clinching a top-four seed in the tournament and the MAC East. In Ohio’s first game of the week on Feb. 17 against Miami. In that game, Black scored 18 points, going 6-of-11 (.545) from the field and 6-of-10 (.600) from three-point range. She dished out four assists and three steals and one block in Ohio’s 72-44 victory against Miami.
In Ohio’s next game on Saturday, Feb. 20 at Akron, Black scored 15 points in the Bobcats’ 101-73 victory. In that game, Black was 4-of-13 (.307) from the field, 3-of-10 (.300) from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 (.666) from the free throw line. Black grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and had two steals in the win. The victory clinched the MAC East for the second-straight year and the Bobcats scored at least 100 points in a conference game for the first time since 1991.
Overall on the week, Black scored a total of 33 points (16.5 per game), had eight rebounds (4.00 per game), four assists (2.00 per game), five steals (2.50 per game) and one block. Overall she was 10-of-24 (.416) from the field, 9-of-20 (.450) from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 (.666) from the free throw line.
Nathalie Fontaine / Ball State / Guard
Sr. / Stockholm, Sweden
Senior guard Nathalie Fontaine continued her trend and has scored in double figures in all the the Cardinals games this season. Fontaine started the week off with a 19 point, nine rebound performance helping Ball State to a 73-57 victory at Northern Illinois Wednesday. On Saturday, Fontaine posted her 31st career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds while facing aggressive inside play from Western Michigan defenders. She helped the Cardinals pull out a60-54 win over the Broncos. Fontaine now has 2,036 career points and is 56 points shy of breaking the all-time scoring record at Ball State. She now has 908 career rebounds which is good for seventh all time and needs 15 to move into sixth place. Fontaine has scored in double digits 111 times out of 122 games.
Tinara Moore / Central Michigan / Forward
So. / Southgate, Mich. / Southgate Anderson
For the 14th-straight game, Central Michigan’s Tinara Moore scored in double digits leading the Chippewas in scoring for its lone game of the week with 16 points against MAC West foe Toledo. The sophomore pulled down seven boards, dished out three assists and added two steals and a block on the day. The Southgate, Mich. native ranks seventh during conference play in scoring (16.4) and first in rebounds (11.6).
Chanise Baldwin / Eastern Michigan / Forward
Sr. / Pontiac, Mich. / Martin Luther King
Senior Chanise Baldwin had a sensational week for the Eagles as she averaged a near double-double with 16.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks as the Eagles posted a perfect 2-0 week with wins over Buffalo and Northern Illinois. Against UB, Baldwin picked up her fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 caroms while also rejecting a season-best four shots in 32 minutes of work. She followed it up with her 13th double-digit scoring effort with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks as the Eagles won their fourth consecutive game to improve to 8-6 on the year.
Ally Lehman / Northern Illinois / Guard
Jr. / Nineveh, Ind. / Indian Creek
The Mid-American Conference’s leading rebounder Ally Lehman proved why she’s one of the top rebounding guards in the country as she recorded two double-doubles this week and broke the NIU record for double-digit rebound games in a season with 18.
Lehman scored 17 points and pulled down 11 boards versus Ball State, leading the Huskies in both points and rebounds. The Huskie was 7-for-16 from the field, slashing to the paint against the Cardinals strong post presence. She followed up with a 13-point, 12-rebound performance at Eastern Michigan, helping the Huskies to a +8 rebounding margin in the game.
Lehman is 44 rebounds shy of breaking the NIU record for total rebounds in a season is on the verge of becoming the first Huskie since NIU Hall of Famer Tammy Hinchee in 1989-90 to average 10-or-more rebounds in a season. She would also be only the sixth Huskie to accomplish the feat in a season.
Breanna Mobley / Western Michigan / Forward
Fr. / Lansing, Mich. / Lansing Waverly
With the Broncos on their bye week, Mobley stats will be reflected in just one game. In WMU’s near upset of Ball State, Mobley once again proved she is a consistent double-double threat finished one point shy of her third straight double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. She was a huge part of the Broncos leading for almost the entire game, with the Cardinals clawing back to regain the lead with under 2:00 to play.
Five of Mobley’s 11 rebounds came on the offensive end, tying for the game-high and leading WMU. She also finished with one steal and one assist from the post position. This was her third straight game with 11+ rebounds and fourth this season.
