With the NBA All-Star Game right around the corner and conference play for MAC basketball at its halfway point, now is the perfect time to draft an All-Star team for women’s basketball in the MAC.
Without a formal All-Star Game in place to combine the votes of fans, players and the media like the NBA, it is up to me to play judge, jury and executioner and select the perfect starting five in the Mid-American Conference.
BUFFALO REDSHIRT SENIOR GUARD CHELLIA WATSON
Watson is the MAC’s undeniable scoring queen, leading in total points with 114 more than second place. Watson has exploded in conference play, scoring 29.4 points per game, including a career-high 47 points against Toledo last week.
The USC Upstate transfer is shooting 47.0% from the field with a whopping 402 shot attempts on the season. Watson also spreads some love to her teammates, ranking seventh in assists with 64.
WESTERN MICHIGAN GRADUATE STUDENT GUARD KAITLYN ZARYCKI
Zarycki follows Watson in scoring with 19.1 points per game and a fantastic 52.4% shooting percentage. Zarycki also leads the conference in free throw percentage with 90.3%. Since conference play began, the Niles, Michigan, native leads the MAC in three-point percentage with 68.4% on 19 shots.
Zarycki also brings big plays to the Broncos’ defense as her 40 steals rank third place in the MAC.
TOLEDO FIFTH YEAR GUARD SOPHIA WIARD
Wiard’s three-point shooting, coming in at third in the conference with 44.6%, has helped place her as the MAC’s fourth leading scorer. The 5-foot-7-inch guard is also second in free throw percentage with 89.9%, missing just 8 shots from the charity line all season.
No one in the MAC spends more time on the court than Wiard, playing 36.5 minutes per game. Wiard displays great ball control with 89 assists, tying for third in the MAC, while posting a 2.0 assist/turnover ratio.
AKRON JUNIOR FORWARD REAGAN BASS
Bass stands out as the MAC’s best forward. The Strongsville, Ohio, native is a rebounding machine, grabbing 211 boards this season, 49 more than the next best player.
Bass is scoring 17.8 points per game in her junior season, ranking first among forwards and third overall.
NIU SENIOR FORWARD BROOKE STONEBRAKER
Call me a homer, but Stonebraker has earned a place on this list. The 6-foot-3-inch forward is second in total rebounds with 162 and third among forwards in points per game with 11.4, making 46.6% of her shots.
While every other player on this list plays at least 34.6 minutes per game, Stonebraker has collected her stats on just 27.6 minutes per game. Stonebraker has heated up in recent action, scoring 12 points or more in six of the last seven games.
