ST. LOUIS – Missouri State junior Keandre Cook (G, Baltimore, Md.) has been named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

Cook, who helped lead the Bears to a 3-0 start to the 2018-19 men’s basketball season, averaged 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in three starts during his first week as a Division I player. He posted a pair of 20-point games and also notched his first career double-double in becoming MSU’s first MVC Newcomer of the Week honoree since J.T. Miller on Jan. 1, 2018.

He also converted 18-of-33 (.545) shots from the field for the week to go with 52 points, 25 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals, while making 11-of-15 (.733) free throws. His point total is the most by a first-year MSU player over his first three games since Shelton Colwell (58) in 2002-03.

Cook notched 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Bears’ win over Robert Morris on Nov. 9, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range and a 6-for-10 shooting performance overall. He followed that with 20 points and 8 rebounds against Stetson on Nov. 11 behind a 7-of-14 shooting effort.

Coach Dana Ford’s Bears will have the week off before resuming play on Monday, Nov. 19 against Nebraska at the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, powered by ShotTracker, at Kemper Arena in Kansas City.

— MSU Athletics —