Jan. 7, 2008
Redbird All-Access members, watch the junior point guard talk about her league honor.
NORMAL, Ill. -
Junior guard Kristi Cirone was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week on Monday, Jan. 7. Cirone had a superb three-game stretch in the previous week, averaging 20 points and six assists per game while helping the Redbirds (12-1) extend their season-long winning streak to eight games. It was Cirone's first MVC honor of the season and the fourth of her career.
Cirone scored more points over a three-game stretch than any Redbird this season. She averaged 24 points and 6.5 assists per game in the two Valley contests; the best start to Valley play in her career. She leads the conference in scoring and assists after the opening weekend. Against Evansville, Cirone led the Redbirds with 21 points and six assists. She scored 17 points in the second half, including 12 points, on three three-pointers and three free throws, during a pivotal 22-6 Redbird run. Against Southern Illinois, she scored 27 points, just shy of her career-high of 28, and had seven assists. Cirone made 10 free throws against the Salukis.
The Chicago native was 19-for-21 from the free throw line over the three games and became just the fourth player in ISU history to accumulate 300 free throws in her career. She is currently in third place on the all-time list with 311. She is also three assists away from becoming the sixth player in Redbird history to surpass 400 in her career.
Cirone is the third Redbird to be honored by the conference this season. Sophomore forward Ashleen Bracey was named player of the week on Dec. 17 and freshman guard Shala Jackson earned a newcomer of the week honor on Nov. 19.
The Redbirds are off to their best start in school history and started Valley play with two road wins for the first time since the 1992-93 season. ISU returns home to face Northern Iowa on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 7:05 p.m.
