ST. LOUIS - Illinois State junior Milik Yarbrough has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, the second consecutive week that Yarbrough has earned the Newcomer of the Week honor.
Yarbrough averaged 24.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game during a week in which the Redbirds went 2-0 with a 71-70 win over UIC and a 72-66 victory in the team's MVC opener at Evansville. He made 16-of-29 shots from the field (55.2 percent), and 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) from the charity stripe. Against UIC he scored 20 points with seven rebounds and five assists. He made 8-of-15 shots against the Flames, while adding two blocked shots and a steal. Against Evansville he scored 28 points, including 20 in the first half. He made 8-of-14 shots from the field, 3-of-7 from long range, and all nine of his free throw attempt tries.
For the season he is averaging 17.2 points per game, making 49.6 percent (62-of-125) of his attempts from the field, and 78.4 percent (69-of-88) from the free throw line. He is second on the team in assists (53), and third in total rebounds (66). He currently leads the MVC in assist per game average, ranks third in scoring average, 12th in rebounds per game, and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Redbirds return to action on Sunday, Dec. 31 when the team hosts the Indiana State Sycamores in the second game of a women's / men's doubleheader at Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
