INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State forward Brandi Brown has been named the Horizon League women’s basketball Player of the Week, while Valparaiso guard Charae Richardson has been named the Newcomer of the Week.
Brown, who shared the weekly honor with Shareta Brown on Nov. 19, scored a season-high 28 points in Youngstown State’s 58-45 win at VCU on Friday night. The Preseason First-Time All-League member also grabbed 10 rebounds to record her ninth double-double of the season. Brown was 13-of-20 from the field in the game, including 8-of-11 in the first half when she scored 18 points. The Penguins held VCU to a season-low 45 points in the contest as YSU won its 10th game of the season, matching last season’s total.
Richardson won the Newcomer of the Week Award for the second time this season after previously winning the award on Dec. 10. The junior guard scored 12 of her career-high 16 points in the second half as Valparaiso held off Northern Illinois, 54-49, to improve to 4-1 in home games this season. She connected on two of her three three-point attempts in the game and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. She also had six rebounds in the contest.
Horizon League conference play begins this week and the Penguins and Crusaders will face each other in each team’s first League game. Youngstown State plays at Valparaiso on Saturday at 2:35 p.m. (ET).
Top Performers for the Week:
Lydia Bauer, Green Bay (Sr., F) - Bauer scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range in Green Bay’s 61-42 win over St. Bonaventure on Saturday. She grabbed a game-high eight rebounds in the game and also had three assists and a steal.
Simone Law, Loyola (So., F) - Law had double-doubles in both Rambler games last week as Loyola split its two contests. She had 20 points and 11 rebounds in Loyola’s 72-69 loss to Eastern Illinois and 18 points and 11 rebounds in the Ramblers’ 64-54 road win at Eastern Michigan. She shot 55.6 percent (15-27) from the field in Loyola’s two games.
Shalonda Winton, Cleveland State (Sr., F) - Winton recorded her ninth double-double of the season, recording 15 points and 10 rebounds in CSU’s 56-54 loss to Butler on Thursday.
Shareta Brown, Detroit (So., F) - Brown had a team-high 24 points, connecting on all 13 of her free throw attempts, in Detroit’s loss at South Florida on Monday. She also had 10 rebounds in the contest to record her fifth double-double of the season.
Top Newcomers for the Week:
Taylor Johnson, Loyola (Fr., G) - Johnson averaged 11.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.5 steals in Loyola’s two games last week as the Ramblers split their two contests. She had nine points, eight rebounds, six steals and five assists in Loyola’s 64-54 win at Eastern Michigan on Saturday.
Karen Flagg, Youngstown State (Jr., F/G) - Flagg had four points, four rebounds, four steals and seven assists in YSU’s 58-45 win at VCU on Saturday. She’s had seven assists in two of the last three YSU games.
Kaili Lukan, Green Bay (Fr., G) - Lukan played a season-high 20 minutes in GB’s 61-42 win over St. Bonaventure on Saturday. She finished with three points, five rebounds and three assists against the Bonnies.
Tayelor McCalister, Detroit (Fr., G) - McCalister had nine points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals while playing a season-high 25 minutes in Detroit’s game at South
