Monday, February 15, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – Some buzzer-beating heroics for Montana State Billings and a first win of the season for Saint Martin’s helped earn Yellowjackets’ junior guard Addison Gardner and Saints’ sophomore guard Alex Schumacher selections as the GNAC’s Basketball Players of the Week.

Gardner was named the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after leading the Yellowjackets to two wins in three games while providing some late-game heroics. She averaged 11.3 points and four rebounds per game in the three games, paced by her career-high 17 points at Lewis-Clark State on Saturday. Her 6 of 11 from the field and 5 of 8 from the three-point line included a long-range buzzer-beater as time expired that gave the Yellowjackets the 82-81 overtime exhibition victory.

In three counting games this season, Gardner is averaging 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Montana State Billings is now off until they host Northwest Nazarene for games on Feb. 26 and 27.

Schumacher was named the Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week after he paced the Saints to their first win of the season, an 80-66 victory over Seattle Pacific on Friday. Schumacher finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in the victory as he connected on 6 of 13 from the field and 3 of 7 from three-point range.

Schumacher enters the week as the Saints’ leading scorer, averaging 15.1 points per game. Saint Martin’s will play three games this week, traveling back to Seattle to face the Saints Monday afternoon and then traveling to Northwest Nazarene for games on Friday and Saturday.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 6
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Alex Schumacher (Saint Martin’s, G, 6-3, So., Vancouver, Wash. – Skyview): Schumacher paced the Saints in its 80-66 win at Seattle Pacific on Friday. The sophomore finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, shooting 6 of 13 from the field and 3 of 7 from three-point range. Also Nominated: Chrishon Dixon (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Addison Gardner (Montana State Billings, G, 5-7, Jr., Great Falls, Mont. – Charles M. Russell): Gardner led the Yellowjackets to a 2-1 week, averaging 11.3 points and four rebounds per game over the three contests. Her best efforts came in the weekend exhibitions at Lewis-Clark State. In Friday’s 67-61 loss, Gardner finished with 14 points, including a 4 for 9 effort from three-point range. On Saturday, Gardner hit for a career-high 17 points on 6 of 11 from the field and 5 of 8 from three-point range, including a long-range buzzer-beater that gave MSUB the 82-81 overtime win.