DES MOINES, Iowa – Redshirt sophomore Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) of the Drake University women's basketball team has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, the MVC announced Monday, Dec. 4 afternoon.
 
Rhine, a forward, averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 assist per game while shooting 42.8 percent (3-for-7) from the three-point line and 54.2 percent (19-of-35) from the floor during the week. In the win over Iowa State, she scored 24 points behind a 10-for-14 shooting day, and pulled down six rebounds. Rhine followed that effort with 25 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a four-overtime loss to Creighton. She has scored 20 or more points in three consecutive games.
 
Rhine, who missed all but eight games last season, is second in the MVC in scoring at 18.1 points per game. She ranks third in the Valley in field goal percentage at 59.2 and free throw percentage at 81.3. This is the first career MVC Player of the Week award for Rhine, who in 2015-16 was the MVC Freshman and Sixth Player of the Year, and a five-time MVC Newcomer of the Week award winner.
 
Rhine and her teammates host Iowa Wesleyan Tuesday morning for the program's annual Pack the Knapp for Character presented by the YMCA of Greater Des Moines game. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. with thousands of Des Moines and local area elementary and middle school students scheduled to attend for a fun morning of Bulldog basketball and educational activities.