Illinois State's
Shedrick Ford, a junior from Macon, Ga., has been named the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball player of the week by a split vote by the Conference's media panel. Ford edged Northern Iowa's Joe Breakenridge, a senior from Traer, Iowa, and Indiana State's Terence Avery, a junior from West Frankfort, Ill., for the league's weekly honor.
Ford, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound forward, shot 65.0 percent (13-of-20) from the field, 100 percent (2-of-2) from three-point range and 64 percent (9-of-14) from the free throw line to average 18.5 points, as Illinois State posted an 89-60 triumph over Georgia Southern on Dec. 28 and an 87-83 overtime victory at Western Illinois on Dec. 31. He also had 12 rebounds, two steals and an assist.
Ford is the second Redbird to capture the honor this year.
Tarise Bryson was tabbed Dec. 4 after scoring 41 points at Central Michigan.
Versus Georgia Southern on Dec. 28, Ford was 5-for-9 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, for 12 points and recorded six rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes of action.
On Dec. 31 at Western Illinois, Ford was 8-for-11 from the field and 9-for-14 from the free throw line for a career-high 25 points and hauled in six boards in 37 minutes of play. Ford's point total was the most by an
Illinois State junior college transfer since Maurice Trotter hit that same number against Drake on Feb. 14, 1996.
Breakenridge, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward, was named to the all-tournament team of the Oneida Classic at Green Bay, Wis., after averaging 15 points and 10.5 rebounds in games versus Youngstown State and Samford. Against Samford on Dec. 30, he recorded his fifth point-rebound double-double (19/10) of the 2000-01 campaign.
Avery, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound center, had a career-best 26 points on 9-of-13 field goal shooting, seven rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots in a 76-62 win over Appalachian State on Dec. 30.
Ford and his teammates return to action Saturday when the host Indiana State in the Redbirds Missouri Valley Conference opener.
