Katie Donovans 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists led Illinois State to its most recent three wins during a four-game winning streak and the Missouri Valley Conference recognized the 6-foot junior forward from Kingston, Ontario as its player of the week.
The Valleys No. 2 scorer with 20.9 points per game, Donovan impressed opponents with her ability to set-up teammates last week. She reset her own top marks for assists in a game twice last week. Her 6 in Illinois States 81-67 win at IUPUI was a career high and she broke that with 8 assists just two days later in a 62-38 win over Portland State. Donovan led her team with 27 points and 7 rebounds in an 83-69 win at Butler.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton cites Donovans maturity as the reason for her success.
Katie is one of the greatest competitors Ive ever been around, said Pingeton, whose Redbirds are 5-3 before a Dec. 30 home game with Portland. She has a work ethic that is positively relentless. She really understands the importance of her teammates and is becoming a complete ballplayer. One of the first things she asks about after every game is her assist column.
Pingeton also appreciates the way Donovan is adjusting to having other teams put a bulls eye on her back.
She recognizes defenses and doesnt force many of her shots, Pingeton said. She knows the other team is going to put its best defensive player on her, but she doesnt let that bother her.
Pingeton thinks Donovans personal success both leads, and reflects, the team.
Its great to see good things happen for people who work so hard, Pingeton said. And I mean that not just about Katie, but about the whole team. This is a group which has stayed the course after going through some trials and tribulations over the past couple of years. But they have stayed the course. They are coachable. They are teachable and they want to win.
With a win Dec. 30 over Portland, the 2003-04 Redbirds would be only the second ISU team in 21 years of conference scheduling to have a 6-3 non-conference record. The other team that reached 6-3 was in 1983-84.
