For Immediate Release
Monday, December 20, 2021
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC North Division Player of the Week
#32 Austin Andrews (F, 6-6, 210, So., Eden Prairie, Minn. / Eden Prairie HS) - Minnesota Duluth
- Helped lead UMD to another 2-0 weekend with road wins at NSU & MSUM
- Averaged 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1 steal on the weekend
- Shot 15-of-25 (60%) from the field
- Had 19 points and 10 boards in a 92-71 win over MSU Moorhead
- Named NSIC Player of the Week for the third time this season (11/29/21 & 12/6/21)

NSIC South Division Player of the Week
#42 Jake Phipps (C, 6-9, 255, So., Anoka, Minn. / Anoka HS) - SMSU
- Averaged 23.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.5 bpg in pair of road wins
- Shot 63 percent (22-of-35) from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range
- Scored a career-high 25 points in a 83-70 win over CSP 
- Added eight rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots against CSP
- Scored a game-high 22 points in SMSU’s 71-69 overtime win over MSU
- Recorded his third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds versus MSU
- Named NSIC Player of the Week for the second time this season (11/22/21)

Other Top Performances - North
#11 Travis Bianco (BSU) recorded his third 20-point game of the season in weekend road split. He scored 21 points at Minot State and averaged 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds per game. He shot 48 percent from the field (12-25).
#10 Kai Huntsberry (UMary) posted 25 points, four rebounds and four assists in the Marauders 65-60 win over theGolden Eagles. He hit three treys and scored 11 of UMary’s final 14 points in the game. He is 5th in the NSIC scoring (18.7 ppg) in his first season at UMary.
#2 Bryce Irsfeld (MSUM) averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals for the weekend. He had nine points, four assists and three steals in a 97-63 win over St. Cloud State. He had a game-high 19 points and five assists in loss to No. 17 Minnesota Duluth.
#23 Melvin Newbern (MINOT) had game-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds in a win Friday over Minnesota Crookston, then scored the game-winner with 2 seconds left against Bemidji State, finishing with 14 points and 8 rebounds as he averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds per game over the weekend.
#23 Jordan Belka (NSU) led the Wolves against Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State, averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. During the weekend he shot the ball 13-26 (50.0 percent) from the field, 6-12 (50.0 percent) from 3-point range, and was 4-6 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line.
#22 Anthony Roberts (SCSU) averaged 22.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals in the Huskies weekend split against MSU Moorhead and Northern State. He shot .455 (15-33) from the floor and went 14-19 at the free throw line. He led St. Cloud State in scoring in a 84-80 win over Northern State. He scored a season-high 29 points on 10-19 shooting and just missed a triple double with 13 rebounds and seven assists. He scored the go ahead layup and-one with 33 seconds remaining in the game and went on a five-point scoring run to give St. Cloud State a 49-48 lead midway through the game. He added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in the loss to MSU-Moorhead.

Other Top Performances - South
#21 Brady Williams (MSU) averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last weekend. He shot 52.4% (11-of-21) from the field  and notched a doubled-double against Southwest Minnesota State with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
#5 Jareese Williams (UIU) averaged 20.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as the No. 24 Peacocks posted three more wins to move to 12-1 overall and 6-1 in the Northern Sun. The shooting guard made 47.8% (11-23) of his three-point attempts and 13-14 from the charity stripe. Williams moved into ninth place on the Upper Iowa all-time scoring list during the week.

NSIC Men's Basketball Players of the Week
11/15/21
N: #22 Drew Blair - Minnesota Duluth
S: #25 Tyler Riemersma - Augustana
11/22/21
N: #5 Sam Masten - Northern State
S: #42 Jake Phipps  - SMSU
11/29/21
N: #32 Austin Andrews - Minnesota Duluth
S: #20 Joe Smoldt - Upper Iowa
12/6/21
N: #32 Austin Andrews - Minnesota Duluth (2)
S: #10 Quincy Anderson - Minnesota State
12/13/21
N: #20 Caleb Donaldson - St. Cloud State 
S: #25 Tyler Riemersma - Augustana (2)
12/20/21
N: #32 Austin Andrews - Minnesota Duluth (3)
S: #42 Jake Phipps - SMSU (2)

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 24 team national championships and crowned 81 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.