ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Yunio Barrueta of Barry University and Emily Wendling of Saginaw Valley State University have been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Jan. 3.
Barrueta, a 6-6 senior from Miami, led the Buccaneers to a 98-85 Sunshine State Conference victory over Rollins College with a 40-point, 13-rebound performance as the Buccaneers improved to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in SSC play.
Barrueta hit 14-of-26 (53.8%) from the field, including 10-of-16 (62.5%) three-pointers to tie Barry's single-game three-point record, and he knocked down nine triples in the second half for another school record. His seventh double-double this season also made him the third player in school history to score 40 points in a game, and he added a pair of assists and four blocks in the win.
Wendling, a 6-3 junior forward from Flushing, Mich., earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division Player of the Week honors after leading the Lady Cardinals to a 2-0 record, recording victories over league opponents Malone University and Walsh University, by averaging 30.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots per game.
Wendling recorded a season-high 31 points and added 14 rebounds in last Saturday's 82-69 victory over Malone, while also adding one blocked shot. She followed up that performance with one equally as impressive in Sunday's 80-72 overtime win over Walsh, scoring 29 points and grabbing a season-high 15 boards. Wendling added four assists and three blocks in that contest while playing in 42 of 45 minutes. She went 9-of-9 from the free throw line against the Cavaliers as well, part of a perfect 19-for-19 team effort from the charity stripe.
She finished the week 13-for-14 at the free throw line and connected at a 68 percent (23-of-34) from the field for Saginaw Valley State, which is 7-4 overall on the season and 4-2 in the GLIAC. Wendling leads the conference in scoring (21.6 ppg) and is second in rebounding (10.4 rpg).
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.