Editor's note: Charlie Creme, Graham Hays, Michelle Smith and Mechelle Voepel each vote to determine espnW's national player of the week, which is awarded every week of the women's college basketball season.
DePaul badly needed a bounce back, and Megan Podkowa provided it on Saturday.
Podkowa, the Blue Demons' senior forward, had a career day with impeccable timing. In DePaul's 77-64 victory over previously unbeaten Northwestern, Podkowa scored a career-high 27 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and added four assists and four blocks.
Podkowa's big effort -- which earns her espnW national player of the week honors for the first time in her career -- helped the Blue Demons rebound from their 88-79 loss against South Dakota State earlier in the week.