Missouri-St. Louis’ Devonna Smith is the Great Lakes Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, it was announced by the league office on Monday. The senior forward helped pace the Tritons with two home division wins.
 
Smith tallied back-to-back double-doubles during the week averaging 16.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. She shot 44 percent from the field after playing 38.5 minutes.  She leads UMSL in scoring with 13.7 points and also averages 9.8 rebounds each time out.
 
In Missouri-St. Louis’ 71-69 win over William Jewell, Smith netted 19 points and 15 rebounds of which seven were on the offensive end. The St. Louis, Mo., native tacked on three assists, two steals, and shot 7-for-13 (53 percent) from the field.
 
On Saturday, Smith logged here seventh double-double of the season netting 14 points and 16 rebounds in the Tritons’ 64-62 double overtime win against Rockhurst. She clogged the paint corralling 12 defensive rebounds, snatched four steals, swatted three block shots, and dished two assists in the victory.
 
The honor is Smith’s first of her career and the first for a Missouri-St. Louis player since Hazaria Washington received the award on Dec. 3, 2012. 
 
With the two wins, Missouri-St. Louis improved to 14-9, 9-6 GLVC, and secured its first winning season since 2005-06 (16-12, 9-10).  The Tritons returns to action on Thursday, traveling to Quincy in a 5:15 p.m. tip-off.