December 4, 2006
Women’s Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RACHEL MAENPAA AND ANGELA PHILLIPS HONORED BY LEAGUE

Team Ranked High Nationally In Five Different Statistical Categories

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State senior Rachel Maenpaa (Watertown, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Player of the Week while junior Angela Phillips (Oak Ridge,Tenn./Kentucky) has been named the conference's Newcomer of the Week as announced by the league office earlier today. Phillips is the second consecutive Sycamore to take the league's top weekly newcomer honor, following Kelsey Luna last week. In addition, ISU is featured in the NCAA Top Four in five different statistical categories, including leading the nation in two.

Maenpaa earns her first career MVC Player of the Week award after enjoying a standout week in victories over Loyola (Ill.) as well as Valparaiso. She led the Sycamores with 20 points off the bench versus Loyola (Ill.), and then came back with a 17-point effort against Valparaiso as Indiana State improved to 4-2 on the season.

She led the Sycamores with 20 points in a 101-71 victory over the Ramblers. She nearly set a school-record by hitting 10-of-11 shots in the game, and pulled down four rebounds in the victory. In the State Farm Hoosier Classic versus the Crusaders, Maenpaa hit 6-of-11 attempts the field, including a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe to score 17 points in an 83-71 victory. Maenpaa added a season-best eight rebounds and dished out three assists against Valpo.

For the week, she averaged 18.5 points and six rebounds per game. Maenpaa was blazing from the field, as she hit 16-of-22 field goals, a percentage of 72.7%. In addition, she did not miss from the foul line, hitting all five of her free tosses.

Phillips earns her first career MVC Newcomer of the Week award after scoring a career-best 21 points against Valparaiso, after pouring in 13 versus Loyola (Ill.) as the Sycamores went a perfect 2-0 this week. Phillips was the catalyst for the Sycamores in an 83-71 victory against Valpo in the State Farm Hoosier Classic, as she hit 6-of-11 shots from the field, including an amazing 6-of-10 attempts from long range to score 21 points.

She dished out nine assists versus the Crusaders, to tie a career-high which she set earlier in the week against Loyola (Ill.). Phillips added a steal and three rebounds in the victory. Earlier in the week, versus the Ramblers, Phillips scored 13 points, by hitting 5-of-12 shots from the fi eld and dishing out nine assists. Phillips added a pair of steals as well in the 101-71 victory.

For the week, Phillips ran the floor as well as anyone in the nation, as she posted 18 assists against just two turnovers, an amazing 9.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Phillips was on fi re from long range, as she hit 7-of-14 3-point shots, a percentage of 50%.

This week marks the first time in the history of the program that the Sycamores have captured both the league's Newcomer as well as Player of the Week Awards on the same day.

In the NCAA stat rankings, the Sycamores are tops in the nation in 3-pointers made per game (10.8) and assists per contest (21.8). ISU is second in scoring (91.8 ppg); second in 3-point field goal percentage (45.5%) and fourth in field goal percentage (51.2%).

Individually, Phillips' 6.8 assists per game are seventh-best in the country. ISU's Angela Phillips, Leah Phillips and Kelsey Luna are each ranked in the national Top 100 for both 3-point percentage as well as 3-pointers made per game. Maenpaa's 57.1% fi eld goal percentage is 39th-best in the nation.

The high-flying Sycamores return to action on Wednesday, December 6 when they host Youngstown State at Hulman Center. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET). Under head coach Jim Wiedie, the Sycamores are 19-3 in home regular season non-conference contests. The Sycamores defeated the Penguins by a score of 98-57 last season in Youngstown.
 

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