Period of November 23, 2009-January 3, 2010
Laura Aerts
Women's Basketball
Laura Aerts led Lawrence to its first victory in nearly two years when the Vikings beat the University of Dallas 70-65 back on Dec. 20. The senior guard from Kimberly, Wis., scored 20 points and hit career highs with nine assists and seven steals to go along with three rebounds. Aerts' two free throws with three seconds left sealed the victory for Lawrence. It was the Vikings’ first win since beating Knox 63-52 on Jan. 19, 2008, a span of 39 games. Aerts, who was named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week, also scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds in Lawrence's 77-63 loss to Rhodes on Dec. 18. In the two games on Lawrence's trip to Texas, Aerts averaged 19.5 points and shot 70.6 percent (12-17) from the floor. She averaged 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals in the two games.
John Dekker
Men's Basketball
John Dekker led Lawrence to a pair of wins during the Vikings' winter break trip to Florida. Dekker, who was named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week, averaged 21 points and 9 rebounds as Lawrence defeated Trinity (Fla.) and Florida College. The senior forward from Sheboygan, Wis., scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Lawrence's 72-58 victory at Trinity on Dec. 17. Dekker followed that performance with 23 points and nine rebounds in a 96-52 rout of Florida College on Dec. 18. The 44-point win for Lawrence was the Vikings' biggest margin of victory since a 53-point (92-39) drubbing of Goucher on Dec. 29, 2005.
