By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – By leading Illinois State in wins over New Mexico (Dec. 3) and IUPUI (Nov. 30), senior point guard Paris Lee is the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
Lee averaged 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists – with just 2.0 turnovers – and 2.0 steals in 31.5 minutes per game last week. He shot 12-for-20 (60.0 percent) from the field, 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc and 6-for-8 (75.0 percent) at the free throw line.
In ISU’s 79-74 Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge-victory over New Mexico, Lee dished out a career-best 11 assists, with only two turnovers. Lee’s 11 assists were the most by a Redbird since Boo Richardson earned 11 versus Lewis Dec. 19, 2006. Lee also matched a season high with 18 points to achieve his first-career double-double and the first ISU double-double consisting of points and assists since Nic Moore scored 24 points with 10 assists at Ole Miss March 14, 2012.
Along with Lee’s 18 points and 11 assists, he contributed five rebounds and two steals. The Maywood, Illinois, native shot 5-for-11 (45.5 percent) from the field and 5-for-6 (83.3 percent) at the free throw line. Lee was particularly impressive in crunch time when, with 31 second remaining, he stopped New Mexico’s late run by burying a 3-pointer to lift the Redbirds ahead, 77-74. Lee then sealed the victory by going 2-for-2 at the free throw line with 23 seconds to play.
In Illinois State’s 77-63 win over IUPUI, Lee scored a game-high 18 points on 7-for-9 (77.8 percent) shooting from the field and a 3-for-4 (75.0 percent) effort from beyond the arc. Lee also collected six rebounds, dished a game-high six assists and forced two steals. Lee netted back-to-back trifectas during an 8-2 Redbird run that helped ISU build a 40-23 lead late in the first half.
Lee now ranks second on the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and leads the league and ranks 15th nationally with 6.5 assists averaged per contest. He is the first Redbird to earn Valley Player of the Week accolades since Deontae Hawkins was honored Feb. 8, 2016. Monday’s Valley Player of the Week recognition was the first for Lee in his four-year ISU career.
Having now won three-straight games and four of the past five, Lee and the Redbirds will try to extend their winning streak when they play Tulsa Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The game can be seen live on ESPN3 and heard on WJBC 1230-AM.
