INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State forward Brandi Brown has been named the Horizon League women’s basketball Player of the Week, while Wright State guard Ivory James has been named the Newcomer of the Week.
Brown averaged 40.5 points and 17.0 rebounds in two Youngstown State wins last week. On Thursday, she scored a then career-high 39 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Penguins defeated UIC, 79-66. Brown was 12-of-19 from the field, including knocking down four three-pointers, and was 11-of-12 from the foul line.
Against Wright State on Saturday, Brown recorded the first 40-point, 20-rebound game by a DI player against DI competition since 2007 as she scored a career-high 42 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in YSU’s 64-54 win over Wright State. The Pomona, Calif., native scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the first half as YSU took a 34-20 lead into the break. Brown finished the game 13-of-27 from the field, making four three-pointers for the second consecutive game, and also added 12 free throws. She grabbed seven of her 21 rebounds on the offensive end.
For the week, Brown scored 81 points on 25-of-46 shooting from the field and grabbed 34 rebounds. She now ranks second in the League in scoring at 21.3 points per game and continues to lead the conference in rebounding at 11.8 rebounds per game.
Youngstown State (20-7, 10-4) has reached 20 wins in a season for the first time since the 1999-2000 season with two regular season games still play. The Penguins play their final regular season home game on Monday against Valparaiso (9-18, 4-10) and finish the regular season on Thursday at Detroit (15-11, 8-6).
Ivory James earned Newcomer of the Week honors for the second time this season after averaging 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last week for the Raiders. James had 12 points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench on Thursday in WSU’s 83-78 overtime win at Valparaiso. On Saturday, James tied her season-high with 22 points in 26 minutes of action against Youngstown State. She was 8-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. The Camden, N.J. native also grabbed five rebounds in the contest.
Wright State (11-17, 5-10) finishes up regular season play on Thursday when it hosts Cleveland State (13-15, 5-10).
Top Performers for the Week:
Simone Law, Loyola(So., F) - Law averaged 31.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last week as the Ramblers extended their winning streak to seven games. She scored a then career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting in Loyola’s 72-67 win at Cleveland State on Monday. She followed up that performance with a career-high 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting and also grabbed 12 rebounds as Loyola defeated Milwaukee, 92-76.
Yar Shayok, Detroit(Sr., F) - Shayok posted a season-high 23 points and tied her career-high with 17 rebounds in Detroit’s 66-40 win over Milwaukee on Saturday. She was 11-of-15 from the field against the Panthers. Earlier in the week, Shayok had 10 points and five rebounds as the Titans fell to Green Bay.
Shalonda Winton, Cleveland State(Sr., F) - Winton tallied two double-doubles last week for the Vikings. She had 18 points and 10 rebounds against Loyola and 21 points and 12 rebounds in CSU’s win over Valparaiso on Saturday. She now ranks third on CSU’s all-time scoring list with 1,806 points.
Sarah Eichler, Green Bay(Sr., F) - Eichler was perfect from three-point range (4-of-4) in scoring 12 points in the Phoenix win at Detroit on Thursday. On Saturday, she scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and added five assists and five rebounds as GB won at UIC. During the game against the Flames, Eichler connected on her 100th three-point make.
Kim Demmings, Wright State (So., G) - Demmings scored 11 of her 27 points in overtime as the Raiders defeated Valparaiso, 83-78, on Thursday. She also had seven rebounds and five assists in the contest. On Saturday, Demmings again had seven rebounds and five assists and added 11 points as WSU fell at Youngstown State.
Top Newcomers for the Week:
Taylor Johnson, Loyola(Fr., G) - Johnson scored 13 points in both games last week for the Ramblers. She hit the game-winning basket in Loyola’s win over Cleveland State on Monday, also recording five rebounds and four steals in the win. She had five assists in LU’s win over Milwaukee.
Rosanna Reynolds, Detroit (Fr., G) - Reynolds averaged 5.5 ppg., 6.5 rpg., and 3.0 apg in the Titans two games last week. She led UDM with eight rebounds against Green Bay.
Women’s Basketball Player of the Week:
Nov. 12: Shaquira Scott, Valparaiso
Nov. 19: Brandi Brown, Youngstown State & Shareta Brown, Detroit
Nov. 26: Sarah Eichler, Green Bay
Dec. 3: Shareta Brown, Detroit
Dec. 10: Shalonda Winton, Cleveland State
Dec. 17: Kim Demmings, Wright State
Dec. 24: Shareta Brown, Detroit
Dec. 31: Tabitha Gerardot, Valparaiso
Jan. 7: Brandi Brown, Youngstown State
Jan. 14: Tabitha Gerardot, Valparaiso
Jan. 21: Shareta Brown, Detroit
Jan. 28: Brandi Brown, Youngstown State
Feb. 4: Tabitha Gerardot, Valparaiso
Feb. 11: Katie Hannemann, UIC
Feb. 18: Simone Law, Loyola
Feb. 25: Katie Hannemann, UIC & Megan Lukan, Green Bay
Mar. 4: Brandi Brown, Youngstown State
Women’s Basketball Newcomer of the Week:
Nov. 12: Shar’Rae Davis, Youngstown State
Nov. 19: Taylor Johnson, Loyola
Nov. 26: Rachel Story, UIC
Dec. 3: Shar’Rae Davis, Youngstown State
Dec. 10: Charae Richardson, Valparaiso
Dec. 17: Tayler Stanton, Wright State
Dec. 24: Taylor Johnson, Loyola
Dec. 31: Terri Bender, UIC
Jan. 7: Charae Richardson, Valparaiso
Jan. 14: Terri Bender, UIC
Jan. 21: Taylor Johnson, Loyola
Jan. 28: Ivory James, Wright State
Feb. 4: Taylor Johnson, Loyola
Feb. 11: Karen Flagg, Youngstown State
Feb. 18: Taylor Johnson, Loyola
Feb. 25: Taylor Johnson, Loyola
Mar. 4: Ivory James, Wright State