ST. LOUIS – SIU freshman center Kyler Filewich was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. He is SIU’s first freshman center to earn the honor since Gene Teague in 2010.

Filewich earned his first career start on Monday at Indiana State and responded with a career-high 12 points for the Salukis in a 69-66 loss. Filewich, a Winnipeg, Canada, native, went 6-for-7 from the field in 19 minutes and snagged four rebounds. Filewich is shooting 65% in MVC play this season.

Filewich is the second SIU player to earn MVC Newcomer of the Week honors this season, joining Ben Harvey, who earned the award in early December. Filewich is SIU’s first center to earn the honor since Kavion Pippen in 2017-18, and SIU’s first center to earn the honor as a true freshman since Gene Teague in 2010.