MiKyle McIntosh (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)
By ISU Media Services
ST. LOUIS – After netting double-figures in both of Illinois State’s Missouri Valley Conference victories last week, freshman forward MiKyle McIntosh is the MVC Newcomer of the Week, as announced by the league office Monday.
McIntosh averaged 10.5 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game, while collecting one block and one assist in Illinois State’s victories against Drake (Jan. 7) and at Missouri State (Jan. 11). McIntosh was the only Redbird to reach double-digits in both wins, earning 11 points with six rebounds and one assist in the victory at Missouri State and 10 points against Drake.
After Missouri State took a two-point lead at the 17:07 mark Sunday afternoon, McIntosh regained Illinois State’s advantage which the Redbirds did not relinquish by draining a 3-pointer with 16:57 to play in the opening stanza. A pair of McIntosh free throws, followed by a jumper, extended ISU’s lead to 16 points at the 2:19 mark in the first half, as ISU went on to beat the Bears, 69-55.
Versus Drake, McIntosh was one rebound shy of a double-double, netting 10 points, while matching a career-best nine rebounds plus one block. Following a 3-pointer which lifted the Bulldogs ahead by one point early on, McIntosh responded with a layup. Immediately in the second half, McIntosh netted two free throws, extending ISU’s lead to 24 points. The Pickering, Ontario, native later converted a three-point play to help solidify Illinois State’s 81-45 win.
McIntosh is averaging 10.3 points and a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game in MVC play this season, and 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds overall. Illinois State has now earned three MVC Newcomer of the Week accolades in 2014-15, with DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (Nov. 24) and Deontae Hawkins (Dec. 1) garnering the same honor earlier this season.
Following two-straight MVC victories, McIntosh and the Redbirds travel to Indiana State Wednesday for a 6 p.m. CT tip-off. The game can be heard live on WJBC 1230-AM, 93.7-FM and GoRedbirds.com.