Grace Berger's Career-High 29 Points Leads Her to be Named Big Ten Player of the Week

Senior guard Grace Berger had a career high night on Saturday as she cruised past the Michigan State Spartans with 29 points and seven boards. Her combined efforts including Indiana's win over Illinois this week led her to the Big Ten Player of the Week award announced by the league on Monday.

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — For the second time in her career, Indiana senior guard Grace Berger has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week announced by the league on Monday. The last time she held this honor was Nov. 25, 2019. 

This award also comes the same day the Hoosiers climb up to No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

In the Hoosiers' pair of wins over Illinois and Michigan State this week, Berger averaged 21 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5 assists. She went 60 percent from the field and 92.3 percent from the free throw line. 

On Wednesday, the Hoosiers beat the Fighting Illini 93-61. Berger put up 13 points going 6-for-8 from the field and also had 8 boards.

"I just came out really aggressive," she said. "I saw the ball go in the basket early. We all came out with an aggressive mindset, and I benefited from that, and my teammates did too."

Indiana's 76-58 win over Michigan State on Saturday sparked Berger's 29-point career high as she shot 9-for-17 from the field and went 11-for-11 from the free throw line. She also held the team's highest rebound total with seven.

"She was cookin' right?" Moren said. "I think we just tried to let grace be Grace. Grace is really high IQ. She always understands who's guarding her whether it's a post player, whether it's a guard. I didn't think they had an answer for her."

In these past two matchups, Berger has only committed two turnovers and three fouls. 

She said everyone has to do a little bit more on the floor due to the absence of starting forward Mackenzie Holmes who's nursing a knee injury.

Berger and her team will take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road Monday, Feb. 14 as part of the team's last five-game regular season stretch.

Related stories on Indiana women's basketball

• INDIANA BREAKS TOP 5 IN AP POLL: Indiana is now ranked No. 5 in the AP Top 25 Poll passing up Michigan as the highest ranked Big Ten team. Maryland, Ohio State and Iowa round out the remaining conference teams in the poll. CLICK HERE. 
• HOOSIERS WILL FACE CORNHUSKERS IN VALENTINE'S DAY REMATCH: Indiana will hit the road to Lincoln, Neb. to face the Cornhuskers for the second time this season on Valentine's Day. In the last meeting earlier this season, the Hoosiers defeated Nebraska at home, but this time will be without all their fans in Pinnacle Bank Arena. CLICK HERE.
• GRACE BERGER LEADS HOOSIERS TO WIN: Indiana senior guard Grace Berger scored a career-high 29 points in Indiana's 76-58 victory over the Michigan State Spartans. The Spartans were forced to foul and ended up with two technicals as well as two players on the cusp of fouling out. CLICK HERE.