Feb. 24, 2009

Naperville, Ill. - North Dakota's O.J. Harrison and South Dakota's Bridget Yoerger have been named the Great West Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Players of the Week for the week ending Feb. 22, the league office announced Tuesday.

Harrison garners his first player of the week honor after averaging 17 points per game as the senior led North Dakota to two home wins last week. The forward scored 13 points to help break a Sioux four-game losing streak with a 77-60 victory over Hamline. Harrison followed up that effort with a career night against SIU-Edwardsville where the Danville, Ill., native tallied a career-best 22 points and tied his career-high with 14 rebounds. The double-double effort was the first of his career and first by a Sioux player this season. The win over SIUE was the first for UND against a fellow Division I transitional school.

Others nominated: Mitch Begeman (South Dakota), Julius Allgood (UTPA)

Previous winners: Feb. 15 - Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley), Feb. 8 - John Cantrell (Chicago State), Feb. 1 - Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley), Jan. 25 - Roman Gentry (South Dakota)/Jheryl Wilson (NJIT), Jan. 18 - Baron Sauls (Houston Baptist), Jan. 11 - Gordon Watt (Houston Baptist), Jan. 4 - David Holston (Chicago State), Dec. 28 - Jesse Becker (South Dakota), Dec. 21 - David Holston (Chicago State), Dec. 14 - Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley), Dec. 7 - Baron Sauls (Houston Baptist), Nov. 30 - Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley), Nov. 23 - John Cantrell (Chicago State), Nov. 16 - Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley)

Yoerger earns her second weekly honor of the season after leading South Dakota to two wins last week, including a 62-46 defeat of conference foe Houston Baptist. The Hinton, Iowa, native shot 57.9 percent from the field and had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in the win over HBU. The forward also posted 20 points and nine rebounds in the victory over SIU-Edwardsville. She now has 21 double-figure scoring games, 14 double-figure rebounding games and 13 double-doubles this season.

Others nominated: Jamie Spriggs (Houston Baptist), Mallory Youngblut (North Dakota), Teshay Winfrey (UTPA), Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley)

Previous winners: Feb. 15 - Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley)/Kierah Kimbrough (North Dakota), Feb. 8 - Jasmin Dixon (Chicago State), Feb. 1 - Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley), Jan. 25 - Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley), Jan. 18 - Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley), Jan. 11 - Kierah Kimbrough (North Dakota), Jan. 4 - Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley), Dec. 28 - Jasmin Dixon (Chicago State), Dec. 21 - Kierah Kimbrough (North Dakota), Dec. 14 - Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley), Dec.7 - Julie McMurray (Utah Valley), Nov. 30 - Alyssa Waldon (Chicago State), Nov. 23 - Danye Guinn (North Dakota)/Robyn Fairbanks (Utah Valley), Nov. 16 - Bridget Yoerger (South Dakota)

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