Illinois State’s Banyard named MVC Newcomer of Week

Posted on February 16, 2016

By ISU Sports Information

ST. LOUIS – By leading Illinois State in victories over Evansville and Bradley, junior forward Nick Banyard is the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

Banyard averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in ISU’s two wins, shooting 11-for-16 (68.8 percent) from the field, a team-best 75 percent (3-for-4) from beyond the arc and 2-for-4 at the free throw line. The Flower Mound, Texas, native, also contributed two assists, one block and one steal.

Netting a career-high 18 points to lead Illinois State in its victory at Evansville (Feb. 11), Banyard shot 8-for-11 (72.7 percent) from the field and 2-for-2 (100 percent) from beyond the arc, while securing four rebounds and one block in 20 minutes. With the Purple Aces leading by two points, Banyard buried a 3-pointer at the 2:33 mark in the first half to lift ISU ahead. In the second half, Banyard’s dunk with 15:07 remaining energized the Redbird bench while pushing the Redbirds in front by four points. Another Banyard dunk at the 6:36 mark gave ISU a 13-point lead, its largest of the game, as Illinois State went on to win by 10.

In the Redbirds’ I-74 Rivalry win over Bradley (Feb. 14), Banyard scored nine points on 3-for-5 (60 percent) shooting, while collecting five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Five minutes into the game, Banyard netted a 3-pointer, giving Illinois State an early five-point lead. After Bradley pulled to within one point at the 14:32 mark in the second half, Banyard capped a 7-0 ISU run with a layup to regain an eight-point Redbird advantage, as Illinois State went on to win by 15.

Banyard is now averaging 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game. The MVC Newcomer of the Week honor is Illinois State’s first of the season. ISU has earned weekly league honors in back-to-back weeks, after Deontae Hawkins was named MVC Player of the Week.

Now 16-11 overall and 10-4, in second place, in the Missouri Valley Conference, Illinois State has won four-straight games and seven of its last eight. Banyard and the Redbirds next host Indiana State Wednesday.

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