INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State senior Kenya Middlebrooks is the Horizon League Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, for the period from Dec. 12-18, after scoring a career-high 27 points in the Penguins’ comeback win over Akron, 78-72.
Youngstown State trailed by 13 points with 9:55 left in the second half and still found themselves behind 71-65 with 3:32 left in the game when Middlebrooks took over. Following a three-pointer by Preseason Horizon League Player of the Year Brandi Brown to cut the lead in half, Middlebrooks scored five consecutive points to give YSU a 73-71 lead. Akron hit a free throw on its next possession to cut the lead to one, but Middlebrooks knocked down a three on the following Penguin possession to extend the lead to four and then stole the ball on Akron’s next possession. After a missed Youngstown free throw, Middlebrooks stopped another Akron attack with a defensive rebound. She sealed the win with two free throws with 0:03 remaining.
Overall, Middlebrooks scored 13 points in the final 3:56 of the game as the Penguins won their sixth game of the year.
YSU returns to action Tuesday, Dec. 27 when it plays at Stony Brook. Tipoff is schedule for 7 p.m. ET.
Other Top Performers for the Week:
Courtney Lindfors, Milwaukee (Jr., F) - Lindfors had two double-doubles last week as Milwaukee won both of its games. She had 24 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Chicago State and 19 points and 10 rebounds against Toledo.
Simone Law, Loyola (Fr., F) -Law scored 28 points and had 13 rebounds, both career-highs as Loyola defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 69-57.
Ashley Varner, Valparaiso (Sr., F) - Varner posted her second double-double of the season, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, as Valpo defeated Ball State, 67-53.
Senee Shearer, Detroit (So., G) - Shearer scored a career-high 23 points, 17 in the first half, as Detroit defeated IPFW, 90-60. She also had career-highs in steals (5) and blocks (2) and tied her career-high with three assists.
Jasmine Bailey, UIC (Sr., G/F) - Bailey scored the game-winning basket with one second left in UIC’s 49-47 win over Northern Illinois. She finished the game with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Haley Howard, Butler (Fr., F) - Howard scored 18 points and pulled down a career-high nine rebounds in Butler’s 74-39 win over Marian.
