ST. LOUIS – After a near-triple-double effort in Illinois State's win at Ole Miss on Saturday, Illinois State junior Milik Yarbrough has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week.
The sweep of the two awards is the 15th time in the Missouri Valley Conference since 2003-04 – the year the conference started awarding Newcomer of the Week honors – that a player has taken home both awards in the same week. Included in that list is former Redbird Lorenzo Gordon, who won both honors on January 3, 2005.
Yarbrough nearly had a triple-double in the team's only game during the week, a 101-97 overtime win over Ole Miss. Yarbrough scored 25 points with a season-high 10 rebounds, and eight assists in just 27 minutes of action. He made 8-of-17 shots from the field, and all nine of his free throw tries. His 15 second-half points helped the Redbirds, as he also pulled down four rebounds and dished out four assists in the second 20 minutes. He was at his best against SEC opponents this season, averaging 21.5 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists against Ole Miss and South Carolina, while also making 23-of-26 from the line in the pair of games.
He is the first player in the league this season to sweep the awards, and joins teammate Keyshawn Evans as Redbirds who have been named Player of the Week this season.
The Redbirds return to action on Tuesday, December 19 when the team hosts UIC in a 7 p.m. tip-off at Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
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