INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Kevin Buckingham of Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Durant, Okla.) and Peyton Steinman of Saint Anselm College (Manchester, N.H.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending December 29.
Buckingham, a senior forward, claimed his first Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after he led the Savage Storm to three victories in four games on the week, averaging 28.0 points and 8.25 rebounds per game en route to MVP honors at the Hoops In Hawaii Invitational. Buckingham scored 87 points in Southeastern Oklahoma States three games of the tournament after opening the week with a 25-point performance in a 98-68 non-conference victory against Arlington Baptist. Buckingham erupted for a career-high 46 points (2 points shy of the GAC single-game record), shooting 19-for-31 from the field in an 88-68 victory over Alaska-Anchorage in the second game of the Savage Storm's three-game tournament appearance.
On the week, Buckingham shot 60.3 percent (44-for-73) from the field, including a 36.8 percent (7-for-19) clip from three-point range. He added 17 points from the free throw line, sinking 17-of-22 (77.3 percent) from the charity stripe. Buckingham notched 23 points and 9 rebounds in an overtime defeat to Simon Fraser before bouncing back with 46 points and 8 rebounds against Alaska-Anchorage and 18 points and 7 rebounds in a 59-57 win over Colorado School of Mines.
Steinman was named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week after averaging 28.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game against two nationally-prominent programs at the Cruzin Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The junior guard came one point shy of matching a career-high mark against Washburn on December 18, scoring 34 points. She also posted 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals. Against nationally-ranked Fort Hays State the next day, Steinman scored 23 points and recorded nine rebounds to go with a team-leading four assists. The Pittsfield, Mass., native shot a combined 51.2 percent from the field in the two games and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division II.
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 Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2019-20 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 10: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Brianna Purcell, Saint Michael's College
· Week ending Nov. 17: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Kayla Marosites, Carson-Newman University
· Week ending Nov. 24: Pat Dembley, UT Permian Basin and Kwanza Murray, Lincoln University
· Week ending Dec. 1: Hasan Varence, Ohio Dominican University and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Dec. 8: Peyton Wejnert, Pace University and Taisha DeShazo, Catawba College
· Week ending Dec. 15: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and Jamiyah Johnson, Davis & Elkins College
· Week ending Dec. 29: Kevin Buckingham, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Peyton Steinman, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Jan. 5: Jordan Floyd, King University and Mar'Shalia Lollie, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
· Week ending Jan. 12: Sekou Sylla, The College of Saint Rose and Sylvia Hudson, Urbana University
· Week ending Jan. 19: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and McKayla Roberts, Le Moyne College
· Week ending Jan. 26: Eamonn Joyce, Southern New Hampshire University and Tyra James, Urbana University
· Week ending Feb. 2: Winston Hill, Francis Marion University and Alexy Mollenhauer, Anderson University
· Week ending Feb. 9: Jordan Floyd, King University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
· Week ending Feb. 16: Brian Halums, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University
· Week ending Feb. 23: Brandon Myer, University of Minnesota Duluth and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending March 1: Robbie Heath, West Chester University and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University