Last Tuesday, former Owensville Dutchgirl basketball player Breanna Diestelkamp stepped into unchartered waters at the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL).

Inserted into the starting line up for the first time in her college basketball career, Diestelkamp made the most of it as a Lady Triton sophomore.

Amassing a career-high 24 points in just 23 minutes of playing time, Diestelkamp helped the UMSL Lady Tritons to a 77-68 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s basketball victory over the Southwest Baptist University (SBU) Lady Bearcats.

Just missing a double double during her debut in the starting line up, Diestelkamp also pulled down nine rebounds.

“We got notice the morning of the game that our starting post player Kiara Stewart was out due to a wrist injury,” UMSL Women’s head basketball coach Katie Vaughn said.

Limited to four points in the first half, Diestelkamp lit it up in the second half pouring in 20 of her career-high 24 points.

“I think it took her a half to settle in,” Vaughn said. “With some adjustments at halftime, she figured out what the defense was doing and the team found a way to get her the ball.”

Making eight of her nine free-throw attempts against the Lady Bearcats, Diestelkamp’s aggressiveness paid off.

“She played much more aggressive in the second half going strong to the basket which got her to the free throw line,” Vaughn said.

As if that wasn’t enough, Diestelkamp’s Tuesday only got better.

Trekking home to Owensville to watch the Dutchmen take on Steelville’s Cardinals, Diestelkamp had one of the winning tickets to participate in the First State Community Bank (FSCB) halftime shoot out.

Hitting a half-court shot within 30 seconds, Diestelkamp capped off her terrific Tuesday $100 richer.

That was just the beginning of what turned out to be a great week for the UMSL sophomore.

Four days later on Saturday, UMSL hosted the University of Illinois - Springfield (UIS) Stars.

Establishing a new career high, Diestelkamp led the Lady Tritons with a double double of 34 points and 13 rebounds helping UMSL to an 85-56 victory.

By halftime, Diestelkamp already secured her double double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Of those 21 points, 13 came in final seven minutes of the half as part of a 20-3 run by UMSL.

Announced Monday by the GLVC, Diestelkamp was named the GLVC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for averaging 26 points and 11 rebounds in her two games against SBU and UIS.

She also shot 88 percent from the field hitting 22 of her 25 field-goal attempts in addition to shooting 93 percent from the free-throw line connecting on 14 of 15 attempts.