SWX Right Now-Sports News for Washington and IdahoIdaho's Kloke earns WAC weekly honor

Idaho's Kloke earns WAC weekly honor

by Univ. of Idaho Athletics

DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference chose Idaho's Rachele Kloke as Verizon Wireless Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Monday after her outstanding performances in the week of Feb. 22-28. The honor is the first of her career. 

Kloke, a junior from Stanwood, Wash. (Stanwood HS), averaged 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals during the week in leading the Vandal women to a 2-0 record against San Jose State and Utah State to push Idaho to a 7-7 WAC record and fourth-place tie in the standings. 

Kloke took over Saturday's 54-53 win at Utah State, as she went 10-of-16 from the floor and 4-of-7 from 3-point range for a career-high 28 points. She scored Idaho's final 12 points in the game, including a 3-pointer to tie it up at 51-51 with 11 seconds remaining, and then the clincher – a buzzer-beating 3-point bomb after USU had taken a two-point lead with 2.5 seconds remaining. 

In Wednesday's 74-59 win over San Jose State, Kloke hit five of her 10 attempts from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and scored 15 points with three rebounds and one steal. 

Kloke has scored in the double digits in 12 straight games for Idaho, and leads the team with 16 games of 15 points or more. 

Idaho's women close out the regular season this week with their Senior Night game on Wednesday against Louisiana Tech in the first nationally-televised game in school history on ESPNU at 8 p.m. (PST). They wrap up the season at Nevada on Saturday at 2 p.m. (PST), followed by the WAC Tournament, also in Reno, starting on March 9.