INDIANAPOLIS – With finals wrapped up going into the holiday layover, Great Midwest Athletic Conference Basketball Players of the Week honors were announced on Christmas Eve. A handful of games remain for teams in the 2019 calendar year before rolling over into 2020.
Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Wyatt Battaile
Kentucky Wesleyan
Guard
Sophomore
Pikeville, KY (Pikeville HS)
Like oatmeal, Battaile was instant offense off the bench for the Panthers as they won in conference play vs. Trevecca Nazarene and gave No. 4 ranked Lincoln Memorial all it could handle.
The sophomore lit it up for 19.5 points in the combined contests while shooting almost 58 percent from the field (11-for-19).
Battaile also sank eight triples while playing over 30 minutes in each contest in a valuable reserve role.
Battaile had a game-high 27 points against TNU while also finishing with seven rebounds (three offensive), a block and one assist. He made 7-of-13 shots from the floor and converted 9-of-11 chances at the free throw line.
He followed up with an efficient outing vs. LMU as Kentucky Wesleyan faced the 12-1 Railsplitters in the Sportscenter. It was a 77-75 final in favor of Lincoln Memorial as Battaile produced 12 points, six rebounds and a pair of dimes.
KWC is currently tied for third in the conference standings at 3-1. Battaile is currently third on the team in scoring and is shooting 41 percent from long range.
Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Mayci Sales
Walsh
Forward
Junior
Massillon, OH (Tuslaw HS)
The 6-1 Sales cashed in on her one game of opportunity against West Liberty as the Cavaliers routed the Hilltoppers in a 96-74 final. Walsh and West Liberty also played at the Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland, home of the NBA’s Cavaliers.
Sales had an NBA-like box score with 22 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks, as the former conference freshman of the year continues to shine as a junior.
Walsh improved to 10-2 overall as Sales went 7-for-13 on all shot attempts. She also connected on 8-of-10 free throw tries.
It was her sixth game of the year with a field goal percentage of over 50 percent.
Sales has been a two-time conference player of the week this season already as she averages 17.4 points on 50 percent shooting.
She also pulls down 8.1 rebounds, passes out almost three assists per contest and is making threes at over 44 percent as the Cavaliers look to defend their conference tournament title.
Sales ranks fourth in the Great Midwest in scoring and is fifth in rebounding. She is second in blocks and is sixth in field goal percentage.