COLLEGE ROUNDUP: Local players facing ups and downs
Feb. 4—With conference tournaments less than a month away in college basketball, local players are trying to start the build to March Madness.
After a slow start to the Southern Conference season, the Mercer Women's Basketball team has won their last two games. The Bears beat Furman 56-42 as Danville native Erin Houpt had 14 points and then beat Western Carolina 68-44 on Thursday as Houpt had 13 points with three steals.
Mercer is 9-12, but 5-3 in the Southern and will face UNC-Greensboro today.
The Murray State women's team with Oakwood native Katelyn Young are in the middle of a rough streak, extending their losing streak to five with three losses this week.
On Jan. 27, the Racers lost to Evansville 75-67 as Young had 18 points with 10 rebounds. On Sunday, Murray State lost to Indiana State 62-56 as Young had 30 points with seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks and on Thursday, the Racers lost 64-54 as Young had 15 points and 15 rebounds and three assists.
Murray State is 11-9 overall and 4-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference and will try to break the losing streak on Sunday when the Racers will be at Normal to play Illinois State.
The Eastern Illinois girls basketball team won by forfeit over Lindenwood on Thursday, taking its record to 18-3 and 11-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers did play on Jan. 28, beating Southeastern Missouri State 63-57 but Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin product Emily Meidel did not play. Eastern will play Tennessee State today.
After injuries canceled a game with Seton Hall on Jan. 28, the DePaul women's basketball team lost to Creighton 83-74 on Wednesday. Schlarman Academy grad Anaya Peoples did not play for the Blue Demons, who will play Xavier today.
Central Michigan lost two games this week, losing 77-68 to Miami (Ohio) and 74-60 to Toledo on Wednesday. Danville native Mikala Hall had three rebounds and two assists against Toledo. The Chippewas are 4-16 and 2-7 in the MAC and will face Eastern Michigan today.
Schlarman alum Sydney Gouard and Stetson started the week with a 83-70 loss to Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 28 but rebounded to beat North Florida 65-51 on Thursday. Gouard played two minutes against Eastern Kentucky and had two points and two rebounds against North Florida.
The Hatters are 10-13 and 4-6 in the Atlantic Sun Conference and will face Jacksonville today.
Schlarman alum Janiah Newell and the Chicago State women's team went to Hartford to play two straight games. The Cougars won the first game on Jan. 28 76-59 as Newell had 17 points, four assists, four rebounds and three steals. In the second game on Jan. 29, Newell had 22 points with five rebounds and three assists in a 57-49 win. Chicago State is 3-21 and will face Saint Xavier on Sunday.
Danville native Kendle Moore did not play in the Missouri State men's basketball team's games this week. The Bears beat Valparaiso 76-67 in overtime on Wednesday after losing Murray State 74-71 on Jan. 28.
Missouri State is 12-11 and 8-5 in the MVC and will face Southern Illinois on Sunday.
Danville native Tevin Smith had seven points with five rebounds on Thursday as the Denver men's basketball team beat Western Illinois 74-44. The Pioneers were coming off a 70-60 loss to Kansas City on Jan. 28 as Smith had 17 points with two blocks and four rebounds. Denver is 13-12 and 4-8 in the Summit League and will face St. Thomas today.
