Beyer makes it back-to-back National POW awards

Grace Beyer has done it again. The Eutectics star guard was named the NAIA Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. After she scored 98 points in three games to earn the national award last week, Beyer dumped in 80 points over two games to improve on her leading point-per-game average in the country and land the POW award yet again for the week of Jan. 15-22. It represents the eighth time in her career that she has been named the top player in the country for a given week.

The Eutectics split two games last week with Beyer scoring 47 points in a home loss to Williams Baptist, two days after she reached 33 points in a victory over Central Baptist. The 47 points matched Beyer's fourth highest point total in a single game. She has had three games where she has scored 50 or more. In the games against the Mustangs and Eagles, Beyer was a perfect 33-for-33 at the foul line while she was 22-of-38 from the floor (57.9%). She averaged eight rebounds and five and a half assists over the two games. She played all but two minutes in the pair of games and combined to have just three turnovers.

Beyer has scored nearly 100 more points this season than her nearest chaser. She leads the country having poured in 586 points this season over 17 games while Haley Cox (Ohio Christian) has recorded the second most points scored at 490 over 18 games. All eyes have turned lately to Beyer trying to chase down the all-time NAIA record for points scored in a career. That mark is currently held by Miriam Walker-Samuels (Claflin, SC) and stands at 3,855. Beyer's career point total currently holds at 3,496. If she can match her current pace of averaging 34.5ppg over the Eutectics final (at minimum) 12 games, Beyer will be right around 3,910 for her career.

UHSP visits American Midwest Conference foes Cottey and Hannibal-LaGrange this week as the start to a 4-game AMC road trip. It is another Thursday-Saturday twin bill next week when the Eutectics visit Harris-Stowe and then get a much anticipated rematch with Stephens. UHSP next home contest is Thursday, Feb. 8 against William Woods.