What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 12/13/2023

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 12/13/2023

MVC/OVC Week Five Stars--Valley Hoops Insider

Week Five Stars – MVC

SIU’s Xavier Johnson is flirting with the top spot among the nation’s leading scorers. During SIU’s win over Oklahoma State, Johnson hit the thirty point mark for the third time this season. Johnson leads the Valley and is second nationally in scoring (24.2 ppg) and is also the Valley’s ‘Player of the Week‘. He is 32nd nationally in free throw percentage (.913).

If Malik Dia continues to come off the Belmont bench, you can probably engrave Dia’s name on the MVC’s ‘Sixth Man Award’. This week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week‘ averaged 18.5 points and four rebounds during the Bruins’ wins over Lipscomb and Middle Tennessee. The Vanderbilt transfer is the Valley’s eighth leading scorer (16.8 ppg) and is converting .529 of his shot attempts.

Drake’s impressive wins over Saint Louis and Nevada were sparked by the outstanding play of guard Kevin Overton. This week’s ‘Freshman of the Week‘ averaged fifteen points and 5.5 rebounds during the critical non-conference victories. Overton is the MVC’s highest scoring rookie (13.9 ppg).

Week Five OVC/MVC Award Winners--Valley Hoops Insider

Week Five Missouri Valley Conference Winners

Twenty-seven points and 19 rebounds in one game will often earn you praise. For Evansville’s Barbora Tomancova it earned a ‘Player of the Week’ award. It’s the first time in eight seasons that a Valley player has reached those dual levels in one contest. This is the Purple Aces’ second weekly award winner. During week three Maggie Hartwig grabbed the freshman award.

During week five, Indiana State’s Kiley Bess earned her team’s first weekly individual award. Bess scored sixteen points, grabbed four rebounds and handed out three dimes during the Sycamore win over Southeast Missouri. Bess is the Valley’s ‘Newcomer of the Week‘.

Jailyn Banks is a three-time winner of the Valley’s ‘Freshman of the Week‘ title. The Belmont rookie scored 16 points during the Bruins’ win over Lipscomb. Banks won the award for her work in week’s one and two of the season and now has turned the trick in week five.