We are nearly a month into the MVC women's basketball non-conference schedule and the league continues to churn out standout individual performances. Drake's Sara Rhine averaged 24.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in the Bulldogs' two contests last week, earning her first career MVC Player of the Week honor. Evansville graduate transfer Hannah Noe averaged 21.0 points and connected on 10 three-point field-goals in the Aces' two games last week, collecting her second Newcomer of the Week honor.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Sara Rhine, So., F, Drake
Drake sophomore forward Sara Rhine averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 assist per game while shooting 42.8 percent (3-for-7) from the three-point line and 54.2 percent (19-of-35) from the floor during the week. In the win over Iowa State, Rhine scored 24 points behind a 10-for-14 shooting day, and pulled down six rebounds against the Cyclones. She followed that effort with 25 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a four overtime loss to Creighton. Rhine currently sits second in the MVC in scoring at 18.1 points per game.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Hannah Noe, Gr., G, Evansville
In a pair of road contests against teams with a combined 8-4 record, graduate guard Hannah Noe continued her hot-shooting performance. The Dexter, Missouri native fueled a 12-6 run with back-to-back-to-back three-pointers as Noe tallied 13 points on 4-9 shooting from beyond the arc in the Aces’ loss at Western Kentucky. On Saturday, Noe recorded the second-best scoring outing of her career with 29 points, including six triples, in Evansville’s 82-73 loss at Austin Peay. Noe leads the MVC in scoring and sits 71st in the nation averaging 18.2 points per game, while also topping The Valley in three-pointers made per game with 3.7 per contest, the 11th-best average in the nation.
Noteworthy - In addition to the league's player and newcomer of the week selections, several conference players had notable performances, and they include:
Chelsea Brackmann (BRAD) - Brackmann averaged 8.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.0 steals per game as she helped Bradley split a pair of games against in-state opponents. She opened the week with her first double-double of the year, finishing with 10 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals to lead the Braves at Northern Illinois Wednesday. Brackmann followed it up with seven points, two blocks, two steals and a season-high 15 rebounds as she helped Bradley post a 58-48 victory over visiting Illinois-Chicago. The victory against UIC is believed to be the first time Bradley has won a game in which the Braves did not have a single player reach double figures in scoring.
Hannah Green (ILS) - Hannah added 16 points, nine rebounds and four blocks to help the Redbirds capture their third-straight home victory on Thursday. On Sunday she put up 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks against Butler. Green currently averages 3.2 blocked shots per game which ranks 9th in the nation and first in the Missouri Valley Conference. She has 19 total blocks this season which is the most in the MVC and ties for 22nd in the nation.
Tierra Webb (INS) - Tierra Webb led Indiana State last week as she shot 44 percent from the field and averaged 12 points per game for the Sycamores. She tallied eight rebounds, five steals and three assists in two contests for ISU while her five rebounds and four assists against Missouri S&T marked season highs.
Liza Fruendt (MSU) - Liza Fruendt scored 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting overall and went 7-for-8 from the foul line in MSU’s lone game last week at Wichita State. The senior shot 64 percent from inside the arc, and added three rebounds and one assist in 35 minutes.
Kennedy Kirkpatrick (UNI) - Kirkpatrick earned a career-high 21 points against North Dakota over the week, as the Panthers fell in a slim defeat on the road to the Hawks. The senior guard also dished out six assists, while recording a rebound and block. Kirkpatrick scored seven points against South Dakota State on Thursday, while earning seven rebounds and two assists. Overall this season, Kirkpatrick has scored in double-figures five times, while leading UNI with 13.4 points per contest.
Kylie Giebelhausen (SIU) - Kylie Giebelhausen averaged 16.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game in three games last week. The East Peoria, Ill. native shot 40% (16-of-40) from the floor, including 47.8% (11-of-23) from behind the arc and just missed out on a double-double against SIUE on Monday, as she finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. She followed that effort with her second 20-plus point effort of the season at Morehead St, as she finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and made six three-pointers - a season-best. The Preseason All-MVC selection ended her week with 15 points and a career-high seven steals in SIU’s win over Marshall, its first win over the Thundering Herd since 1993.
Meredith Hamlet (VALPO) - Scored a season-high 25 points on Sunday to lift Valpo to an 81-68 win over Longwood. Scored eight points or more in all three of Valpo’s games this week. Shot 50 percent for the week from the field and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Emily Marsh (BRAD) - Marsh was Bradley’s top scorer last week, averaging 10.5 points per game off the bench, while shooting 47 percent from the field. She also averaged 1.0 assists, 2,0 blocks and one steal per game. She nearly doubled her season scoring output through the first five games of the season with a season-best 16 points off the bench on 7-for-14 shooting at Northern Illinois. Marsh added four rebounds, two blocks and one steal in the contest. In Saturday’s victory Illinois-Chicago, she was 2-for-5 from the field and finished with five points, three boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal as she helped the Braves to a 58-48 victory, which is believed to be the first time Bradley has won a game in which the Braves did not have a single player reach double figures in scoring.
Maddie Monahan (DU) - Averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 assists per game while 50 percent (2-of-4) from the three-point line and 66.7 percent (7-of-9) from the field … in the win over Iowa State converted a four-point play late that tied the game at 80-80 … finished with six assists to just one turnover against the Cyclones … scored career-high nine points against Creighton … ranks second in the MVC in assists at 4.1 per game … averaging 5.8 points per game … has started the past six games and played in all eight games this season.
Ty Battle (INS) - True freshman Ty Battle averaged 9.5 points per game last week and shot an impressive 67 percent from beyond the arc. She tallied 19 points in all including 15 points against Missouri S&T while bringing down a total of six rebounds, three assists and three steals over the course of the two-game week for the Sycamores.
Jessica Cerda (LUC) - Loyola graduate transfer Jessica Cerda reached double figures in scoring for the third time in the last four games as the Ramblers picked up their first victory of the season, defeating Chicago State by a final count of 46-28 at the Jones Convocation Center on Friday night. Cerda, who was playing against her former team, knocked down five of her eight attempts from beyond the three-point arc en route to finishing with a game-high 19 points. The Streamwood, Ill. native currently ranks fourth in the Valley in both three-point field goal percentage (0.441) and three-point field goals made per game (2.5).
Makenzie Silvey (SIU) - Makenzie Silvey averaged 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in three contests this past week. She opened her week by tying a career-high with 15 points against SIUE and followed with 14 points at Morehead State. She concluded the week with a career-high six assists in 14 minutes off the bench in SIU’s 64-59 win at Marshall. The Glen Carbon, Ill. native has scored in double figures in five of SIU’s seven games this season.
Nicole Konieczny (VALPO) - Has taken over as Valpo’s starting point guard after upperclassman PG went down with an injury. Started the week with career highs in both points (13) and assists (8) against Bowling Green. Her eight assists in that game were the most by any Crusader since Hannah Schaub had nine on Dec. 3, 2016 against Eastern Illinois. Konieczny became the first Crusader to have eight or more assists and score double figures in the same game since Jessica Carr posted a double-double of 13 points and 11 assists on Jan. 21, 2015.