ST. LOUIS – Illinois State junior guard Zach Copeland has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon.
Copeland averaged 15 points per game as the Redbirds went 2-0 on the week with wins over two of the top three teams in the MVC standings (with Illinois State being the third of those three teams). He also pulled down six rebounds on the week with three assists and a steal. He made 52.9 percent of his shots from the field (9-of-17), and half of his 12 three-point attempts. In the first game of the week against Drake, whom the Redbirds were tied with for second place in the league standings, he scored 19 points, hitting 6-of-11 shots from the field and 4-of-7 from long range. He also had three rebounds and gave out two assists while picking up a steal.
For the season, the Oakland native averages 10.5 points per game and is second on the team with 74 assists and 18 steals. He has made 38 percent of his shots from the field and 35 percent from long range, including making a team-high-tying 43 three-point baskets through 23 games of the year. His assists rank sixth in the conference, while his free throw percentage of .846 is third-best in the conference.
Illinois State, now 14-9 on the season and in a first-place tie in the Missouri Valley Conference returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 5 when the team hosts the Valparaiso Crusaders in a 7 p.m. tip-off on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
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