INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State senior Heidi Schlegel (Wapakoneta, Ohio) is the Horizon League Women’s Basketball Player of the Week while Valparaiso’s Jasmyn Walker (Muskegon, Mich.) is the Freshman of the Week for the week of Feb. 9-15. This is the second accolade for Schlegel this season while Walker garners her third.
Youngstown State (17-7, 6-5) began its week at home as the squad hosted Oakland Wednesday night. The Penguins put together a strong all-around performance to defeat the Golden Grizzlies, 76-54. Four Youngstown State student-athletes recorded double-digit points while Nikki Arbanas broke the freshman record for triples made in a season with 42. Saturday on the road at Detroit, Youngstown State produced a 21-2 run early in the first half en route to a 70-65 victory.
Schlegel led Youngstown State during the week, averaging a double-double with 19.5 ppg and 12.0 rpg. In her seventh 20-point performance of the season, the senior tabbed 20 points and 8 rebounds in the win over Oakland. Schlegel’s eleventh double-double of the year came against Detroit over the weekend where she recorded 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Penguins. Against the Titans, the senior also set Youngstown State’s career record for free throws as she went 12-of-15 between the two contests.
Valparaiso (6-17, 4-8) hosted Milwaukee for its lone game of the week. The Crusaders and Panthers remained neck-and-neck during the contest until Valparaiso went on a 10-2 run late in the first half. The Crusaders countered each run by Milwaukee the remainder of the game as they tallied a 69-56 victory at the Athletics Recreation Center Thursday evening.
Walker led Valparaiso in scoring for the fifth time this season and rebounding for the tenth time. The freshman tabbed 18 points in the contests while grabbing 13 rebounds to mark her fourth double-double in League action. Walker shot 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the field and went a perfect 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.
Youngstown State hits the floor next on Thursday, February 19 to face Milwaukee on the road while Valparaiso travels north to take on Green Bay with each game set for an 8:00 p.m. ET tip-off. The two squads face-off Saturday afternoon at 2:35 p.m. ET with the Crusaders hosting the Penguins on ESPN3.
Top Players of the Week:
Peyton Apsey, Oakland (Sr., G): Scored a career-high of 24 points versus Cleveland State and tied a career-best five triples in the matchup.
Terri Bender, UIC (Jr., G): Scored a game-high 23 points against Detroit while also dishing out five assists in the contest. Tabbed 12 points facing Wright State en route to her 14th consecutive double-figure performance.
Courtney Boyd, Wright State (Sr., G): Tabbed 16 points and four rebounds at Green Bay in addition to her 14 points, four rebounds and three assists at UIC.
Ellisha Crosby, Detroit (Sr., G): Led Detroit in scoring with a 22.0 average this week and posted 19 points and seven rebounds in the game versus UIC. The senior also nearly tabbed a double-double facing Youngstown State with 25 points and nine assists.
Imani Gordon, Cleveland State (Sr., F): Posted her third double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds against Oakland. Banked in the three-pointer with just one second left to send the game into overtime for the eventual win.
Ashley Green, Milwaukee (Sr., G): Averaged 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds this week as she became the sixth player in Milwaukee history to reach 1,500 points in a career.
Top Freshmen of the Week:
Indiya Benjamin, Youngstown State (G): Averaged 10.0 points and 3.5 assists during the week with 13 big second-half points in the win over Detroit.
Jenny Lindner, Milwaukee (G): For the week, averaged 13.0 points and 4.5 rebounds while netting a team-high of 18 points against Green Bay.
Darianne Seward, Detroit (G): Tallied 19 points and dished out four assists at UIC and also finished with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists versus Youngstown State.
Players of the Week
Nov. 10: Tay’ler Mingo, Wright State (Sr., G)
Nov. 17: Ruvanna Campbell, UIC (Jr., F)
Nov. 24: Mehryn Kraker, Green Bay (So., G)
Dec. 1: Rosanna Reynolds, Detroit (So., G)
Dec. 8: Ellisha Crosby, Detroit (Sr., G)
Dec. 15: Tay’ler Mingo, Wright State (Sr., G)
Dec. 22: Olivia Nash, Oakland (Jr., G)
Dec. 29: Latisha Walker, Youngstown State (Sr., G)
Jan. 5: Megan Lukan, Green Bay (Sr., G)
Jan. 12: Heidi Schlegel, Youngstown State (Sr., F)
Jan. 19: Ashley Green, Milwaukee (Sr., G)
Jan: 26: Breanna Stucke, Wright State (Sr., F)
Feb. 2: Ashley Green, Milwaukee (Sr., G)
Feb. 9: Heidi Schlegel, Youngstown State (Sr., F)
Freshmen of the Week
Nov. 10: Nikki Arbanas, Youngstown State (Fr., G)
Nov. 17: Dani Franklin, Valparaiso (Fr., G)
Nov. 24: Indiya Benjamin, Youngstown State (Fr., G)
Dec. 1: Allie LeClaire, Green Bay (Fr., G)
Dec. 8: Dani Franklin, Valparaiso (Fr., G)
Dec. 15: Darianne Seward, Detroit (Fr., G)
Dec. 22: Darianne Seward, Detroit (Fr., G)
Dec. 29: Jasmyn Walker, Valparaiso (Fr., G)
Jan. 5: Jenny Lindner, Milwaukee (Fr., G)
Jan. 12: Jasmyn Walker, Valparaiso (Fr., G)
Jan. 19: Nikki Arbanas, Youngstown State (Fr., G)
Jan. 26: Darianne Seward, Detroit (Fr., G)
Feb. 2: Dani Franklin, Valparaiso (Fr., G)
Feb. 9: Jasmyn Walker, Valparaiso (Fr., G)
