McPherson Garners Heartland Honor (12/27/06)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings sophomore Kayla McPherson has been named the Heartland Conference Player of the Week for the week of December 18-24.  The award is the first for McPherson.  The Yellowjackets have received five Heartland player of the week awards this season.

McPherson, a 5’11” wing player from Glendive, MT, was instrumental in helping Montana State-Billings to a pair of big South Central Region wins at the Hoop-N-Surf Classic in Honolulu.  On Tuesday she came off the bench to score 13 points in 17 minutes in an 86-61 win over Abilene Christian.  She was 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range.  ACU entered the game with a 4-0 mark against other Heartland Conference teams this season (St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, and Incarnate Word twice). 

On Wednesday, McPherson again came off the bench to spark the Yellowjackets to a 78-69 upset of previously unbeaten Missouri Southern State.  She scored a career-high 21 points in just 16 minutes of action.  She was 6-of-9 from the field, 3-of-5 from behind the arc, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. 

For the week McPherson shot 61 percent from the floor, 55 percent from 3-point range, and 100 percent from the line.  She averaged just over a point for every minute she was on the floor, scoring 34 points in 33 minutes of playing time.

The Yellowjackets host Oklahoma Panhandle State University on Saturday in the Heartland Conference opener for both teams.  Tip off at Alterowitz Gym is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.