ST. LOUIS – Missouri State Women’s Basketball’s Sydney Wilson was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week for her performances against UNI and Drake, the championship announced today.
A fifth-year senior, Wilson helped lead Missouri State to two crucial wins over the weekend, including a game-winning goal against UNI on Thursday. The Overland Park, Kan. native averaged 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.0 steals on the week, shooting .588 (10-17) from the field. He also anchored two incredible defensive performances as Missouri State held UNI scoreless for the final 3:20 of the game to mount a second-half comeback and then held Drake to 54 points and four made triples after the Bulldogs got in in the game averaging 81.9 points and 8.0 threes per game.
In Thursday night’s win against UNI, which entered the game No. 1 in the MVC standings, Wilson recorded 11 points (5-of-7 FGs), six rebounds and dished out five assists without turnovers against the Panthers. His signature moment came in the closing seconds of the game, as he grabbed a vital offensive rebound and hit the game-winning goal on the putback with just 0:26 remaining, before extending MSU’s lead seconds later at the field goal line free .
Against Drake on Saturday, the Lady Bear veteran scored 14 points, grabbed eight rebounds, had six assists and collected six steals in 40 minutes on the field. She went 2-of-2 from the free throw line and knocked down an important triple to open the fourth quarter that ended a Drake run from the previous period and helped secure a win over the then second-place Bulldogs.
Wilson now ranks fifth in the MVC with 2.6 offensive rebounds per game on a team that ranks seventh nationally with 16.6 offensive rebounds per game.
The honor marks the first MVC Weekly Award of Wilson’s career.
MSU will be back on the road next week for a meeting with Southern Illinois on Wednesday, February 1 at 6:00 pm, before returning home to face new member Valley UIC on Saturday, February 4 at 1:00 pm
The state of Missouri is holding a special “1-2-3 Saturday” women’s basketball ticket. The deal consists of $1 tickets in select areas, $2 hot dogs and $3 Coca-Cola products for the February 4 and 25 Lady Bear games.
