Malcolm Hill named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week after 40 point performance

Through one week of the 2016-17 season, Illinois wing Malcolm Hill is averaging 30.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Those numbers figured to put him in prime contention for the first set of Big Ten awards, and that was exactly the case on Monday morning as the league named him a Co-Player of the Week; the other recipient was James Blackmon Jr. (Indiana).

Hill led the Fighting Illini to two wins over Southeast Missouri and Northern Kentucky while shooting 55.9% from the field (50% from 3PT). The senior’s career-high 40 point effort against Northern Kentucky was fifth-highest scoring game in program history, and he became the third player to post a double-double while reaching such a mark.

The last Illinois player to win this award was — you guessed it — also Hill on December 21, 2015. This is Hill’s third career Player of the Week honor.

The Big Ten also named Curtis Jones Jr. (Indiana) and Miles Bridges (Michigan State) as Co-Freshman of the Week.