Western Illinois Phenom
(St. Louis, MO) – During our reporting on the Ohio Valley Conference weekly awards, it has become about Raegan McCowan and everybody else. The Western Illinois freshman is blowing away the competition for the rookie awards and has become a factor in league-wide honors.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is not far behind on the men’s side of the OVC.
Top Players
McCowan scored 45 points against Southern Indiana and ONLY 18 against Morehead State. The 45 point explosion was this season’s fifth highest total of any NCAA player and it is the second best nationally by a freshman. This is McCowan’s fourth ‘Player of the Week‘ honor, second only the Eastern Illinois’ Macy McGlone’s six.
UT Martin’s Jacob Crews snagged his second straight ‘Player of the Week‘ award by averaging 29.5 points and 11.5 rebounds. The Skyhawks swept their two games and moved into a three-way tie for first place. This is Crews’ third ‘Player‘ award. He is the OVC’s third leading scorer (19 ppg) and fifth leading rebounder (8.2 per game).
Newcomers Shining
Tennessee State’s Sanaa’ St. Andre continues to impress. The 5’10 sophomore reached double digits in each of the Tigers’ games and earned her league-leading fifth ‘Newcomer of the Week‘ award. St. Andre scored 24 points against SIUE and 17 against Eastern Illinois.
Crews also nabbed the ‘Newcomer of the Week‘ award. The Daytona State College transfer has claimed four of the newcomer honors, second only to Morehead State’s Riley Minix’s six. Crews has recorded nine double-doubles and Minix has sixteen.
McCowan and Everybody Else
You can engrave Raegan McCowan’s name on the ‘Freshman of the Year‘ trophy. There is no sense in waiting. The Lebanon, Missouri native picked up her twelfth ‘Freshman of the Week‘ honor with her spectacular performances. She is the conference’s leading scorer during conference play (20.1 ppg) and fourth leading rebounder (9.1). McGlone is second in scoring (19.9 ppg) and is the league’s top rebounder (12.6).
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is taking over the men’s rookie race. The 6’8 forward picked up his eighth ‘Freshman of the Week‘ award averaging thirteen points during Little Rock’s two road wins. Crocker-Johnson has earned four of the last five weekly honors and the Trojans are a part of that three-way tie at the top of the OVC race.
Do Good
Editor: Cover photo courtesy of goleathernecks.com.
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ICYMI: Semifinal # 2 today at #ArchMadness will feature a contrast of styles as # 5 @UIC_MBB faces # 4 @RacersHoops in the 2:30 game.
It's final: @UNImbb 68 @UEAthletics_MBB 59. The Panthers get @Redbird_MBB on Friday night. Campbell finishes with 23 points. Smith with a double-double. AJ Casey was great with 23 & 10. Panthers with 16 assists.
4:05 left: @UNImbb 57 @UEAthletics_MBB 54. Aces' ball. UNI upside? Campbell with 21 points. Down side - Bond 0/6 from deep. UE upside? Casey with 20 & 9. Down Side? 2/11 from deep in the second half. Anybody's game at #ArchMadness
7:25 left: @UNImbb 55 @UEAthletics_MBB 52. Trey Campbell with 21 points for the Panthers and AJ Casey with 18 for the Aces. Tristan Smith is such a game changer. He has 8 pts & 9 rebounds, but that doesn't tell the story. #ArchMadness
