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INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Cam Martin
of Missouri Southern State University (Joplin, Mo.) and
Lilly Ritz of Wheeling University (Wheeling, W. Va.) were
named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II
National Players of the Week for the week ending Jan. 31.
Martin, a senior forward averaged 34.5 points, 10 rebounds, and
3 assists while leading Missouri Southern to a pair of wins over
Rogers State and Northeastern State last week. He scored a season-high
38 points with 8 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the Lions to a 96-87
win over Rogers State, and two nights later he tallied 31 points
and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season in a 100-83
win over Northeastern State.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward from Yukon, Okla., shot 73 percent
(24-for-33) from the field during the week, hitting 5-of-7 three-pointers
while making 16-of-19 free throws (84 percent). Martin currently
ranks as the third-leading scorer in Division II this season, averaging
25.6 points per game, and he moved up to third on the Lions career
scoring list with 1,825 points in three seasons at MSSU.
Ritz, a junior forward, was named the Mountain East Conference
(MEC) Co-Player of the Week after a 28-point, 30-rebound performance
in a 104-99 win at West Virginia State University.
The Cambridge, Ohio, native made 11-of-17 field goals and pulled
down 27 of her season-high 30 rebounds on the defensive glass, while
also recording four blocks and five assists.
Ritz became the first player in NCAA Division II history to notch
multiple games with 30 or more rebounds after matching a DII single-game
record with 36 rebounds last season. Her 30-rebound effort last
week is tied for the 11th-best in Division II history.
Ritz leads NCAA Division II with 18.4 rebounds per game this
season and has also recorded six double-doubles.
This is her second USBWA Womens Basketball DII National Player
of the Week honor in her career, having also won the award last
season.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division
II National Players of the Week. This is the seventh 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.
2020-21 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Jan. 10: Chandler Jacobs, Dallas
Baptist University and Sydney Kin, University of Findlay
Week ending Jan. 17: Chandler Jacobs, Dallas
Baptist University and Breanna Diestelkamp, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Week ending Jan. 24: Parker Fox, Northern
State University and Mayci Sales, Walsh University
Week ending Jan. 31: Cam Martin, Missouri Southern
State University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
Week ending Feb. 7: Patrick Cartier, Hillsdale
College and Zyaire Ewing, Delta State University
Week ending Feb. 14: Isaiah Reddish, Barton
College and Brooklyn Pannell, University of Charleston
Week ending Feb. 21: TJ Crockett, Lindenwood
University and Breanna Locke, Emmanuel College (Ga.)
Week ending Feb. 28: Joel Murray, West Texas
A&M University and Rachel Berry, Fresno Pacific University
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