Seattle University women's basketball post Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) and men's basketball forward Eric Wallace (Winston-Salem, N.C.) were named this week's College Sports Madness Independent Players of the Week. Sowell and Wallace are the first two Redhawk basketball players to earn national player of the week honors since SU reclassified back to NCAA Division I status.
Last Tuesday at Montana State, Wallace earned season highs in scoring and rebounding, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line along with eight rebounds and two blocked shots. He scored six points during the Redhawks' 17-6 run at the end of the first half that led to Seattle U's 85-73 victory over the Bobcats.
In his first three games at Seattle University, Wallace is averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, third on the team in scoring and first in rebounding. Averaging 26.3 minutes per game, the senior is shooting 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the field and has given the Redhawks some added veteran leadership for the 2011-12 season.
For the women, Sowell has been an instrumental leader and commanding presence at the post. She has started all six games this year and is the team's leader in both points (13.7) and rebounds (8.3). The Redhawk sophomore has scored in double figures in every game this season, tallying a pair of double-doubles along the way. She is coming off a combined 25-point and 17-rebound performance at the Seattle U Thanksgiving Tournament, where she was integral in helping guide SU to the championship game of the annual tournament.
"I am very proud of Kacie's improvement this season. She has been a consistent performer on offense and has elevated her defensive game. Her hard work is paying dividends," women's basketball head coach Joan Bonvicini said.
Wallace and the Redhawk men (1-2) begin a busy week with a contest against Evergreen State Monday night, Nov. 28, starting at 7 p.m. at the ShoWare Center in Kent, followed by games against Stanford Thursday, Dec. 1, at KeyArena and at Harvard Sunday, Dec. 4. Sowell and the Redhawk women (2-4) next host Long Beach State on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m., before traveling to Boise State on Sunday, Dec. 4, for a 1 p.m. PT matchup.