ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Thayne Recker of Bluffton University (Bluffton, Ohio) and Kara McDuffee of St. Lawrence University (Canton, N.Y.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending Feb. 1.
Recker, a 6-4 junior center from Arlington, Ohio, set the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) single-game scoring record and posted the highest single-game point total in NCAA Division III this season in Bluffton's (9-10, 5-7) 103-102 triple overtime win over Hanover College (9-10, 6-6) on Saturday. Recker put up 53 points on 14-of-24 shooting and added a career-high 15 rebounds. He also set new HCAC records for free throws made (25) and free throws attempted (28) in the contest, while also contributing three blocks and two assists. Earlier in the week, in a 73-51 loss to Defiance College (14-5, 9-3) on Wednesday, Recker posted another double-double with 19 points (8-for-17 FG) and 12 rebounds, while adding two blocks. For the week, Recker averaged 36.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 1.0 assists, while shooting 53.7 percent (22-41) from the field and 80.0 percent (28-35) from the foul line.
McDuffee, a senior guard from Owego, N.Y., recorded three double-doubles in a 3-0 week for the Saints, who are currently in first place in the Liberty League (15-4, 10-1). She averaged 20 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 54.5 percent (18-of-33) from the field, 60 percent (6-of-10) from beyond the arc and 81.8 percent (18-of-22) from the free-throw line. McDuffee totaled 25 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in a 62-49 win over Clarkson University (14-5, 7-3) on Tuesday. On Friday, in a 67-50 win over William Smith College (3-14, 2-7), she recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals. McDuffee capped off the week with 21 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in an 81-68 decision over the Rochester Institute of Technology (8-11, 2-8). McDuffee has now recorded double-doubles in four straight games and has 12 for the season, moving her into the top 20 (No. 19) of NCAA Division III this season in that category.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the first season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.
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 Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
2014-15 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 7: Hayden Rooke-Ley, Williams College and Emily Lavin, Eastern University
· Week ending Dec. 14: Hunter Hill, Augustana College and Jamie Cuny, North Central College
· Week ending Dec. 21: Chris Cook, Hood College and Alyson Caiazzo, Manhattanville College
· Week ending Jan. 4: Trevon Butler, Husson College and Jess Rheinheimer, Eastern Mennonite University
· Week ending Jan. 11: Lorenzo Williams, Brooklyn College and Hannah Considine, Wheaton College
· Week ending Jan. 18: Aaron Walton-Moss, Cabrini College and Hayley Kanner, Tufts University
· Week ending Jan. 25: Hakeem Harris, NYU and Alex Moore, Rhode Island College
· Week ending Feb. 1: Thayne Recker, Bluffton University and Kara McDuffee, St. Lawrence University
· Week ending Feb. 8: DeShawn Hamlet, Southern Vermont College and Meghan Nowak, Eastern University
· Week ending Feb. 15: Lucas Hausman, Bowdoin College and Sydney Moss, Thomas More College
· Week ending Feb. 22: Jordan Rezendes, UMass Dartmouth and Megan Robertson, Amherst College
· Week ending March 1: Gerry Wixted, Dickinson College and Kristen Schultz, Wisconsin Lutheran