Senior guard Travis Trice has been MSU’s best, and perhaps most consistent, shot creator this season. On Monday, his efforts were acknowledged.

For the second time this season, Trice has been named Big Ten Player of the Week. He averaged 21.5 points, seven assists, two steals and two rebounds against Iowa on the road last Thursday and Northwestern at Breslin Center Sunday.

Trice led MSU to an 84-77 win over the Wildcats Sunday, posting his first career double-double with 18 points, 10 assists and three steals. The performance was timely, as junior guard Denzel Valentine and junior forward Matt Costello played through illness.

Though he has dealt with illness this season as well, Trice looked healthy against Northwestern.

“What is good for me to see tonight is where I said we had a couple guys look dead, Travis looked like he had a lot more energy left in him,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “A lot more quickness, got up on his jump shots, did some things. I think he is back 100 percent healthy from both the ankle and the illness.”

Last Thursday, Trice helped spark MSU’s comeback win over Iowa, draining seven 3-pointers en route to a 25 point, four assist night.

For the season, he is averaging 14.3 points, a Big Ten–leading 6.1 assists and tied for the lead in steals with 2.3 steals per game.

“He’s been playing well,” senior forward Branden Dawson said. “I’ve been playing with Travis for a long time and he’s been great. He’s a senior, that’s what’s expected of him to do.”

Now winners of three straight games, the Spartans will look to continue their run against No. 14 Maryland (15-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) in College Park Saturday. Izzo was underwhelmed by MSU’s performance against Northwestern and would like to see the Spartans turn it around.

Another big performance from Trice can only help.

“I was hoping to come up here and say a lot of good things and then get myself ready for a war at Maryland,” Izzo said after the Northwestern win. “Now I’m gonna say a lot of bad things and get myself ready for a war at Maryland. And to use Matt’s Duke personality, it was a good week. We won two games.”