Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
ST. LOUIS -- Indiana State junior guard Devonte Brown (Killeen Texas/Ellison HS) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player Of The Week following his efforts in victories over Missouri State and Southern Illinois. The Sycamores are 8-8 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play for just the fourth time in the history of the program.
Brown averaged 19.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds over the two-game stretch. For the week, Brown found his shooting stroke as he went 14-of-19 from the field (73.7 percent) as well as 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
The week started for Brown with 16 points as he went 7-of-10 from the field, including one 3-pointer in the 71-56 victory over the Bears. He then went on to score three points in the first half at SIU and the Sycamores found themselves down by 11 points at the half.
After falling behind by as many as 14 after the break, Brown scored 19 points in the final 15 minutes, including 10 of the team's final 13 as the Sycamores erased the deficit and pulled out a thrilling 59-56 road win over the Salukis. Brown hit 7-of-9 shots from the field and was perfect from 3-point range as all of his makes and attempts from behind the arc came in the final three minutes. His first triple came with 2:40 to go to draw the Sycamores within 52-50. After a defensive stop, Brown popped another with 2:05 remaining to give the Sycamores their first lead of the game at 53-52. SIU then responded with a basket and Justin Gant hit a trifecta for a two-point Sycamore lead.
With 11 seconds to go, SIU hit a long jumper to tie the game at 56 before Brown took the ball down the floor without a timeout and hit a 25-foot three-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining to give the Sycamores the thrilling 59-56 victory.
It is the second week of honors for the Sycamores from the Valley as Tre' Bennett was named MVC Newcomer Of The Week on January 5.
Indiana State returns home to face Illinois State on Wednesday, January 14 inside Hulman Center. Tip-off for '80s night is for 7:05 p.m. (ET).
