ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Marc Matthews of Montana State-Billings and Andi Daugherty of Ashland University have been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Jan. 1.
Matthews, a 6-2 senior guard from Sierra Vista, Ariz., led the Yellowjackets to a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference road victories, including an upset over No. 19-ranked Western Washington.
Matthews finished with 48 points and shot 61 percent (17-for-28) from the field and 56 percent (10-for-18) from three-point range on the week. After leading the Yellowjackets to a 107-66 win at Simon Fraser with 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four steals, he poured in 28 points with eight rebounds and five assists to lead MSU Billings (8-4 overall, 3-1 GNAC) to the 100-93 upset of No. 19 Western Washington.
Daugherty, a 6-1 junior forward from Fresno, Ohio, was selected as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division Player of the Week after leading the top-ranked Eagles to an 88-83 win at No. 4 Bellarmine last Friday.
Daugherty posted 28 points, the second-most of her Eagle career, and a season-high-tying nine rebounds in the victory, connecting on 12-of-17 field goal attempts. She scored nine points as Ashland jumped out to a 17-2 lead, then recorded eight points as Bellarmine attempted a fourth-quarter comeback. Ashland improved to 14-0 with the win.
Daugherty recorded her 17th 20-plus-point game of her career and now has 1,156 career points, the 15th most in Ashland history.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
2016-17 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 13: C.J. Carr, Missouri Southern and Hailey Tucker, Southwestern Oklahoma State
· Week ending Nov. 20: Michael Mallory, Southern Connecticut State and McKayla Roberts, Le Moyne
· Week ending Nov. 27: Michael Smith, California Baptist and Laney Lewis, Ursuline College
· Week ending Dec. 4: Phil Taylor, Shorter University and Madison Rowland, Queens College
· Week ending Dec. 11: Petar Kutlesic, Azusa Pacific and Dana Watts, American International
· Week ending Dec. 18: Braxton Reeves, East Central and Kayla Gabor, Lake Erie
· Week ending Jan. 3: Marc Matthews, Montana State-Billings and Andi Daugherty, Ashland University