Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Napier named MVC Women's Basketball Player of the Week
12/12/2016 | 1:37:00 | Women's Basketball
ST. LOUIS – After leading the Salukis to back-to-back wins over SEMO and Memphis, Southern Illinois point guard Rishonda Napier has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.
It marks the first time this season that Napier has been named MVC Player of the Week, and the third time she has done so in her career.Â
Napier averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 rebounds per game in helping the Salukis go 2-0 on the weekend. She shot an efficient 45.8% (11-of-24) from the floor, including 62.5% (5-of-8) from three-point range and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe.
In SIU's win over SEMO on Friday, the redshirt senior from Burbank, Calif. scored 20 points and added five assists in the win over the Redhawks. She followed that effort by posting her second career double-double in SIU's win over Memphis on Sunday.
The preseason All-MVC selection scored 17 points and dished out a career-high 11 assists in the 69-61 win over the Tigers. It was the first points-assists double-double by a Saluki since 2012, when Cartaesha Macklin finished with 19 points and 10 assists in a 69-66 win at Chicago State on Dec. 29, 2012.
The Salukis are back in action Dec. 19-20, when they take part in the University of Missouri-Kansas City Tournament. Southern will tangle with the hosts from UMKC on Monday, Dec. 19, before taking on the defending WNIT Champion South Dakota Coyotes on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
