MAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week
Cece Hooks, Ohio
Guard, Senior, Dayton, Ohio (Thurgood Marshall)
Cece Hooks filled up the stat sheet in both of Ohio's wins last weekend. Hooks started the week with 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 8-of-12 from the free throw line in Ohio's 72-63 win at Miami. Hooks added five rebounds, five steals, two blocks and two assists. In Ohio's 85-66 win over Toledo, Hooks had 24 points, six steals five rebounds, four blocks and three assists. Hooks is now averaging 25.0 points per game, which puts her in the top ten in the nation.
Other Nominees
Ce'Nara Skanes, Eastern Michigan
Forward, Redshirt Sophomore, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Putnam City West)
Redshirt sophomore forward Ce’Nara Skanes continues to be a force in Mid-American Conference play, and that was no different in Eastern’s two most recent games, against Buffalo, Jan. 6, and at Western Michigan, Jan. 11. Overall, Skanes finished with a 19-point, 12 rebound average, all while shooting at a perfect clip (12-for-12) from the charity stripe, and averaging 2.0 blocks per game. Skanes led Eastern with an outstanding 24-point, eight-rebound performance in Eastern’s first game of the week against the Bulls. Down 16 at halftime, Skanes dominated the second half with 18 points to bring Eastern back within one point in the fourth quarter. Although the Eagles dropped the contest, there was no denying Skanes’ will on the game. Her rebounding effort was also a team-best. The contest was her ninth of the season in double-digits, fourth with 20+ points, second as the EMU scoring leader, and sixth as Eastern’s rebounding leader. She was also a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. On the road at Western Michigan to close out the week, Skanes was against unstoppable. She recorded her fifth double-double of the season against the Broncos as she helped lead Eastern from 12 points down to secure the victory, 67-62. She finished with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Only four individual rebounding performances have been better in the MAC than Skanes’ 16 on Sunday and one of those is by Skanes herself, who leads the category with a 23-board performance earlier this season. Skanes ranks first in the MAC with an impressive 10.8 rebounds per game average. That number also ranks inside the top-20 nationally. Her five double-doubles is also the best of any player in the MAC and is just three games behind the national leader (Akila Smith, Longwood), who has eight games of the sort.
Oshlynn Brown, Ball State
Forward, Senior, Chillicothe, Ohio (Chillicothe)
Brown started the week of Mid-American Conference action off on a high note so much so that head coach Brady Sallee expressed how proud he was of her. Against Toledo, Brown took matters into her own hands scoring 17 of her game-high 24 point against the Rockets in the second half alone. The senior forward also led the squad defensively with 13 rebounds. Brown then carried that momentum into Saturday's contest at Kent State. Brown led the Cardinals in both scoring and rebounding for the third consecutive game, collecting 16-points and grabbing 13 rebounds. It was the 37th double-double of her career for the Chillicothe, Ohio, native who helped pave the way early for Ball State with eight first-quarter points before running into some foul trouble.
Taylor Williams, Western Michigan
Forward, Redshirt Freshman, New Baltimore, Mich. (Dakota)
In two games against BGSU and Eastern Michigan, redshirt freshman Taylor Williams led the Broncos with 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Against Bowling Green, Williams nearly recorded a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds. Williams was 4-of-9 from the field while also having one block and one steal. On Sunday against EMU, Williams earned a career-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Williams also registered six rebounds with one assist, one block and one steal. For the week, Williams shot a staggering 50 percent from the field and averaged one block and one steal per game.
Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green
Guard, Freshman, Cincinnati, Ohio (Mercy McAuley)
Bowling Green freshman guard Lexi Fleming had two more impressive games as the Falcons are off to one of the best starts in program history. Fleming averaged 21 points, seven rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.5 steals last week. She had 16 points, all in the second half, in BGSU’s 25-point victory at Western Michigan. BG led by eight points at the half, but Fleming was 6-of-8 from the field, including 3-for-4 from three-point range, as BG pulled away in that second half. She was a perfect 3-for-3 from the arc en route to 11 points in the third quarter alone. Then, on Saturday vs. Northern Illinois, Fleming had 26 points and eight rebounds, leading BGSU in both categories. She tied her career scoring high and set a new rebounding standard. Fleming has scored in double digits in each of her first 10 games as a Falcon, and has led the team in scoring nine times in those 10 games. She leads the team with 19.8 points per game, and is also averaging 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.1 steals per contest. In MAC games, Fleming has a team-high 21.6 ppg along with 4.2 rpg, 2.4 apg and 3.2 spg.
Quinesha Lockett, Toledo
Guard, Sophomore, Omaha, Neb. (Benson)
Sophomore Quinesha Lockett averaged a team-high 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and a squad-best 3.0 steals in two games last week. The only Rocket to score in double figures in both league contests, Locket shot a sizzling 52.8 percent (19-of-36) from the field, including a scorching 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from three-point land, and a perfect 3-of-3 from the charity stripe in 34:25 minutes. The 2020-21 team captain opened the week with a career-high 34 points, five boards, a collegiate-best six helpers and a career-tying best four thefts in a season-high 38:33 at Ball State on Wednesday. The Omaha, Neb. native buried a collegiate-best six triples against the Cardinals. Three days later at Ohio, Lockett tallied a team-high 15 points, five caroms, two dimes and one steal in 30:16 minutes. She has now scored in double digits in all but one game this year.
Jordyn Dawson, Akron
Forward, Sr, Huntington, W.Va.
Senior Jordyn Dawson turned in a dominating week for the Zips averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in a pair of contests for the Zips. She began her week with a 16-point and six-rebound effort at defending MAC champion Central Michigan. Scored 12 points in the opening half against the Chippewas, a contest Akron lead at halftime, 33-32. Dawson followed with a career game in a victory over Miami stuffing the stat sheet with a career-best 30 points, including 16 in the decisive second half. She also posted seven rebounds, six assists, two steals and numerous game-changing plays on the afternoon, including drawing a pair of offensive charges. With her team trailing by nine points early in the second quarter, Dawson willed the Zips back into the game, banking in a long three-pointer from the top of the key, adding a driving lay-up on Akron's ensuing possession and forcing a Miami turnover at the other end of the court. Her efforts sparked a 7-0 run that narrowed the RedHawks' lead to two, 23-21, in the span of 1:41. When Miami staged a fourth-quarter rally, it was again Dawson who delivered the crucial rebuttal, converting an acrobatic lay-up with 4:48 remaining to stake the Zips to a 67-59 advantage. She added four clutch free throws in the final minute to seal the triumph.
Maddy Watters, Central Michigan
Guard, Senior, Rockford, Mich. (Rockford)
Central Michigan guard Maddy Watters continued her impressive senior season this past week as the Chippewas gathered victories over Akron and Buffalo to remain unbeaten (5-0) in Mid-American Conference play. The Rockford, Mich., native averaged 16 points per contest shooting 55.6 (10-of-18) percent from the floor and 57.1 (8-of-14) from behind the arc. In Wednesday's 83-58 home win over the Zips, Watters totaled 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and led the team with four assists. In Saturday's 79-63 victory at Buffalo, she led the team with a season-high 21 points which included a 5-of-9 performance from three-point range. She also chipped in with six rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. On the season, Watters leads the MAC and ranks No.9 in the NCAA averaging 3.5 three-pointers made per contest.
Nila Blackford, Kent State
Forward, Sophomore, Louisville, Ky. (Dupont Manual)
Nila Blackford totaled 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds against Ball State on Saturday. Blackford, who added a career-high three steals against the Cardinals, has posted a double-double in each conference game to help Kent State to its first 4-0 start to MAC play since the 2010-11 season.
Peyton Scott, Miami
Guard, Sophomore, Lynchburg, Ohio (Lynchburg-Clay)
Peyton Scott averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game over the past week. She was also 10-of-12 from the free throw line and added six steals as well. The sophomore had her first career double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds versus Ohio and followed that up with 22 points and a career-high seven assists at Akron.
Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo
Guard, Sophomore, Rochester, NY (Edison Tech)
Dyaisha Fair turned in a pair of solid performances as she averaged 29.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game to lead Buffalo to a 1-1 record on the week. On Wednesday, the Rochester, NY native scored a game-high 29 points in a 73-68 win at Eastern Michigan. She backed that up by tying her season high with 30 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and four steals against Central Michigan on Saturday. Fair leads the Bulls in points (23.8) and assists (5.2) per game. She is currently ranked in the top 20 in the nation in scoring (23.8), free throws made (65) and attempted (82), assists (52) and final points.
Chelby Koker, NIU
Guard, Sophomore, Racine, Wis. (Shoreland Lutheran)
Chelby Koker led NIU with 18 points in its 78-71 win at Bowling Green on Saturday in the Huskies' lone game of the week. Koker added seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in NIU's sixth consecutive win over the Falcons. She scored seven straight points for NIU to start the third quarter and give the Huskies their largest lead of the game, 48-34. Koker is averaging 20 points per game this season and is shooting 93.3 percent at the foul line. In four MAC games, Koker is averaging 22.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and four assists per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
