EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana senior forward/center
Anna Hackert (Evansville, Indiana) has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the second time this season following her efforts in the Screaming Eagles' 87-41 win over Midwest Region foe Salem International University.
Hackert racked up 23 points and a school-record 24 rebounds as the Eagles earned their seventh straight win. Her 24 rebounds broke the 37-year old record of 21, held by Debbie Schutte (1977) and Jill Padgett (1977).
Additionally, Hackert dished out a career-high tying five assists, had two steals, and posted two blocks in the victory. She single-handedly outscored Salem International, 19-17, in the first 20 minutes of the game.
Hackert's 23-point, 24-rebound performance is believed to be the first time in program history that the Eagles have had a player reach the 20-point and 20-rebound plateau in the same game. She scored 14 points when she posted her previous career high in rebounds (20) against Kentucky Wesleyan College in 2013.
A five-time GLVC Player of the Week, Hackert went 8-of-16 from the field and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
For the season, Hackert is averaging a team-best 15.5 points and 13.9 rebounds per contest. If she continues on her rebounding pace, Hackert will shatter LeAnn Freeland's school-record for career rebounds (961) and become the first player in school history to reach 1,000 in her career.
The 2014 honorable mention All-America selection currently has 761 career rebounds, including 111 in 2014-15. The single-season school record for rebounds is 281, set by Shelly Scott in 1988-89.
As of December 11, Hackert led the nation in double-doubles (7) and offensive rebounds per game (6.8).
USI (7-1) returns to action Thursday and Friday when it competes in the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Eagles play Northwest Nazarene University Thursday at 1 p.m. (CST) before concluding their non-conference schedule against Western Washington University Friday at 3:15 p.m.
Both games can be listened to on WPSR 90.7 FM, while live stats, audio, and video can be accessed at gousieagles.com.
In addition to Hackert, the Eagles have four players averaging in double-figures and another averaging 9.8 points per contest. Fellow classmate
Mary O'Keefe (Edwardsville, Illinois) is chipping in 11.0 points per game, while senior guard
Libby Ogden (Tipton, Indiana) had 11 points in her first game of year against Salem International.
Sophomore guard
Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) is contributing 10.3 points per outing, while freshman guard/forward
Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) is adding 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
This week's slate marks the first-ever meetings with Northwest Nazarene (3-6, 1-1 GNAC) and Western Washington (5-3, 0-1 GNAC), both of whom are members of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
The Crusaders of Northwest Nazarene have four players averaging in double-figures, led by freshman guard/forward CoCo Gall and junior guard Taylor Simmons. Gall is averaging a team-high 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while Simmons is chipping in 12.8 points and a team-best 4.9 assists per contest.
Sophomore guard Taylor Peacocke leads a trio of Western Washington Vikings that are averaging double-figures. Peacocke is averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per outing, while senior guard Katie Colard is contributing 15.4 points and a team-high 3.3 assists per appearance. Junior center Kayla Bernsen is adding 12.5 points and a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game.
Western Washington plays No. 4 West Texas A&M Thursday prior to taking on the Eagles Friday.
