Nov. 23, 2009

By Jeff Honza
Southeast Missouri State Sports Information

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State University guard Derek Thompson was named the Ohio Valley Conference's Freshman-of-the-Week Monday.

A native of Detroit, Mich., Thompson scored a game-high 19 points to help the Redhawks end a 21-game losing streak with a thrilling 70-64 overtime win at Northern Illinois.

Thompson, who played 41 of the game's 45 minutes, came off the bench to hit 6-of-12 (50 percent) from the field and 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range after entering the game 0-of-10 from beyond the arc.

He made a 3-pointer in the first minute of the extra period and the Redhawks never lost the lead the rest of the way.

Thompson averaged 14 points and 1.5 rebounds per game on the week.

Thompson becomes just the fifth Southeast men's basketball player to win OVC Freshman-of-the-Week honors. Guard Roderick Pearson was the last to win the award on Jan. 8, 2007.

Morehead State F/C Kenneth Faried (Player-of-the-Week) and Jacksonville State G/F Trenton Marshall (Newcomer-of-the-Week) joined Thompson as this week's honorees.