Bekemeier Earns Third CUSA Player of the Week Honor

Missouri State women’s basketball guard Kaemyn Bekemeier continues to dominate Conference USA competition, earning her third CUSA Player of the Week award of the season, the league announced Monday, Jan. 12.

Bekemeier powered the Lady Bears to a perfect 2-0 week, averaging an impressive 28.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. She shot an efficient 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the field and knocked down 20-of-27 free throws (.741) across the two victories.

Her standout week began Thursday night against Kennesaw State, where Bekemeier poured in a then-career-high 26 points while shooting 6-of-15 from the floor and 13-of-16 at the free-throw line. She also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to record a double-double in the Lady Bears’ win.

Bekemeier followed that performance with a historic outing Saturday against Jacksonville State. The Republic, Missouri native scored a career-best 31 points on an ultra-efficient 11-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc and 7-of-11 at the foul line. She added 14 rebounds, matching her career high and posting another game-high total.

Her 31-point, 14-rebound effort is one of only five such performances in NCAA Division I women’s basketball this season, and Bekemeier is the only player on that list standing under 6-foot tall. The performance also marked Missouri State’s first 30-point scoring effort since the 2021–22 season and made Bekemeier just the second Lady Bear since 1999–2000 to record at least 31 points and 14 rebounds in a single game, joining Casey Garrison (2009–10).

Bekemeier is currently the only player in Conference USA to earn multiple Player of the Week honors this season. She has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games and leads Missouri State in double-doubles (5), games with double-figure points, games with double-figure rebounds (6), and 20-point performances (7).

Missouri State returns to the road this week for a pair of Conference USA matchups, beginning Thursday, Jan. 15, at UTEP, followed by a Saturday, Jan. 17 contest at New Mexico State. Tipoff in El Paso is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CT, with the game streaming on ESPN+.