Jan. 22, 2008

PARKVILLE, Mo. - Mountain State senior guard James Spencer and Park University senior guard Ashley Birch have been named NAIA Independent Region Players of the Week.

Spencer, the men's award winner, leads the nation in scoring for the top-ranked Cougars and averaged 29 points on 24-of-37 shooting in two wins last week.

To go with his 65-percent shooting mark from the floor, Spencer was also 71 percent from the foul line and hit 5-of-12 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc.

In the team's first win of the week over West Virginia Tech, Spencer scored 28 with six rebounds and five assists, and against Independent Region rival Morris on Saturday, he finished with 30, including 4-of-9 from the 3-point arc. He also had four boards against MC.

On the women's side, Birch, a native of Kansas City, Kan., earned her second-straight player of the week nod after scoring 20 with seven boards in a 10-point win over Independent Region rival Brescia Saturday.

Birch finished the game perfect at the foul line and outside the 3-point arc, boosting her shooting total to 7-of-13 from the floor on 4-of-4 from the 3-point line.

She also had an assist, a block and three steals in the 66-56 win over the Bearcats.

The Independent Region Weekly Release will be available Wednesday after the release of the NAIA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Top 25 polls and National Player of the Week Announcements.