UCA’s Herbert Selected as Southland Player of the Week for 17th Time

Courtesy University of Central Arkansas Athletics Department

After an incredible 35-point, 17-rebound effort in an overtime win at McNeese State on Saturday, Central Arkansas forward Megan Herbert was named the Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Monday – the fourth time this season and 17th time in her career she has received the award.

Herbert averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds for the week, scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in Thursday’s loss at Lamar, and recorded the 81st and 82nd double-doubles of her career – including her 11th and 12th of the conference season in 17 games.

Her 35 points in the McNeese win ties her own mark for the highest of any Southland player in a conference game this season, and was her fourth time in league action to score 32 or more points – the most of any player in the conference. Prior to the McNeese game, she posted 19 points and 11 rebounds against Lamar, getting 17 and 11 in the second half after being limited to just two minutes in the first half due to fouls.

With 2,283 points and 1,424 rebounds for her career, Herbert now ranks first in rebounding and second in scoring in Southland history for players whose entire careers were played in the conference. She is also one of just 10 players in the history of Division I basketball to amass more than 2,200 points and 1,400 rebounds in a career.

Entering the final week of conference play, Herbert leads the Southland in scoring with 21.1 points per game in league play – nearly two points more than her closest competitor, McNeese State guard Ashlyn Baggett (19.3). For the entire season Herbert leads the league with a 19.5 points per game average, just ahead of ORU guard Kevi Luper at 19.3.

Herbert is second in the Southland in rebounding, averaging 11.6 for the season and 11.8 in conference play. She is one of just five players in the country averaging more than 19 points and 11 rebounds per game this season. Her 12 double-doubles in conference play tops the Southland, topping the 10 by Sam Houston State’s Sequeena Thomas.

The win at McNeese, which came on Senior Day for all-conference twin guards Ashlyn and Caitlyn Baggett (the second and third leading scorers in school history with more than 3,300 points between them), gives Herbert and the Sugar Bear seniors a 6-3 record against the Cowgirls. Herbert’s 35 points in Saturday’s game equaled the output by the twins, with Caitlyn scoring 19 and Ashlyn 16. Herbert was 12-for-22 from the field, while the Baggetts were a combined 11-of-34.

Herbert and fellow seniors Britney Gowans, Chantel Moss, Tracey Parsons and Desiree’ Rogers will play their final game in the Farris Center on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Oral Roberts – the only team in the league the Sugar Bears have yet to beat this season. The Golden Eagles, who are a half game behind Sam Houston State in the race for the league championship with a 12-5 league record, won the first meeting 76-69 in Tulsa.