November 24, 2008

EC rookie Knight-ed with SLIAC Player of the Week Award

Chantaivia Knight (Normal, Ill./University) of Eureka College has garnered the initial St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week Award for the season.  Eureka's Michael Zasada earned the honor for men's basketball, giving EC a sweep of the winter season awards for the week of November 17-23.  The same league school won both awards in the same week just once out of 14 weeks last season.

Knight, a 6-0 forward, scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in her first collegiate basketball game versus Monmouth on November 18. It was the most points by a Red Devil freshman in a season opener since 1999. She was 6-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line and added one steal.

All 10 of Knight's second half points came during a five-minute span in which Eureka (0-1) went on a 14-6 run to take a 35-32 lead. Monmouth would eventually pull out a 60-53 win over EC, then blow out traditional power Augustana 83-59 Saturday. Knight, who was one of five Red Devils starting their first ever game at EC, had the most rebounds in a game for an EC freshman since January 18, 2005, the most points in a game by a freshman since February 8, 2005 and the first double-double by a freshman since February 21, 2005.

The Red Devils return to action Wednesday, November 26 with a non-conference game at Concordia University Chicago at 7:00 pm.

###

For More Information Contact:

Bryan Moore
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bmoore@eureka.edu