For Immediate Release
Monday, January 31, 2022
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC North Division Player of the Week
#22 Drew Blair (G, 6-5, 185, R-Jr., Stevens Point, Wis. / Stevens Point Area HS) - Minnesota Duluth 
- Averaged 27.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 steal & 1.0 assist in a pair of wins
- Was 12-of-15 (80%) from three-point range for the weekend
- Shot 18-of-25 (72%) overall from the field on the weekend
- Tied a career high with 33 points in a 98-64 win over Sioux Falls
- Scored 21 points in a 91-62 win over SMSU on Friday
- Named NSIC Player of the Week for the second time this season (11/15/21)

NSIC South Division Player of the Week
#5 Alec Rosner (G, 6-2, 199, Jr., Appleton, Wis. / Kimberly HS) - Winona State
- Averaged 28.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in a weekend sweep
- Was 18-of-32 (56.3%) from the floor and 7-of-12 (58.3%) from behind the arc
- Was 14-of-17 (.824) from the free throw line
- Scored 36 points in an 89-78 win over UMary
- The 36 points are the second highest single game tally this season in the NSIC
- The 36 points ranks 10th on the WSU all-time single game scoring list

Other Top Performances - North
#5 Derek Thompson (BSU) averaged 16.5 points with third double-double of the season. He set a BSU program record with 108 career starts. He recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds vs. Wayne State for his 14th career double-double. He shot 46.4 percent from the field over the weekend as he averaged 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 assists per game.
#23 Marcus Thompson (UMC) averaged 12.5 points and 8 rebounds per game in two games this past weekend. He had his first career double-digit scoring performance in two straight games. He shot 11-17 from the field as UMC split on the weekend.
#10 Kai Huntsberry (UMary) averaged 25.5 points, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in a pair of road games. He hit 9-of-13 (69%) from behind the arc, and was 17-of-27 (63%) from the floor and made 8-of-10 free throws. He scored 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting (4-of-7 on 3s) at Winona State. He posted a career-high 26 points at No. 20 Upper Iowa, making 5-of-6 treys and 8-of-13 shots overall. He is second in NSIC in scoring (19.6 PPG), 4th in assists (4.4) and 2nd in free throw shooting (.845).
#12 Gavin Baumgartner (MSUM) averaged 17.5 points and 4.0 assists per game as MSUM went 1-1 on the road. He shot 53.8 percent from the field and had 18 points in a loss at Minnesota State on Friday. He added 17 points in win over Concordia-St. Paul.
#23 Melvin Newbern (MINOT) led the way both nights for the Beavers with 8 rebounds each game at Upper Iowa and Winona State. He also chipped in a team-high 19 points at Winona State and averaged 13 points per game for the weekend.
#23 Jordan Belka (NSU) led Northern State averaging 21.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game over the weekend split. He shot 52.6% from the floor and recorded four steals, four blocks, and two assists. He notched his second double-double of the season in Friday’s win over CSP. He added a single game career high three steals as well versus the Golden Bears.
#20 Caleb Donaldson (SCSU) led the Huskies to a 1-1 split in NSIC play by averaging 22.0 points on .552 shooting. He went 16-29 from the floor and 11-12 from the free throw line. He opened the weekend with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in a win over Sioux Falls. He shot 5-9 from the floor and 8-9 from the charity stripe. He added 26 points in a double OT loss to SMSU. He scored the game-tying baskets both in regulation and OT. He shot 11-20 from the floor and tallied five rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Other Top Performances - South
#35 Adam Dykman (AUGIE) led Augustana with 22.5 points per game over another weekend sweep. He shot at a 63 percent clip to score 42 of his 45 total points, the other three points came at the charity stripe. He went 8-of-14 from 3-point range for 57.1 percent and snagged 6.0 rebounds, dished 3.0 assists and had a block per game over the two wins. He scored his 1,000th point at Augustana in the win at Bemidji State, becoming the 36th member of the 1K club.
#2 Malik Willingham (MSU) averaged a team-leading 18.0 ppg last weekend. He shot 63.2% (12-of-19) from the field and 66.7% (8-of-12) from three point range. He recorded a career-high 23 points against MSU Moorhead, which included a 5-of-7 showing from downtown.
#10 Dunwa Omot (SMSU) led SMSU to a weekend road split versus UMD and SCSU, averaging 22.5 ppg, while shooting 64 percent (14 of 22) from the field, including 10 of 17 from 3-point range. He scored a career-high 25 points on 8 of 12 shooting with five 3-pointers in Friday’s loss to UMD. In SMSU’s double overtime win versus SCSU, he scored 20 points on 6 of 10 shooting with five 3-pointers. 
#15 Jake Hilmer (UIU) scored a career-high 29 points in UIU’s win over UMary and averaged 21 points per game to lead UIU to a pair of wins at home. He added 3.5 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds per game. He shot 46.7% (14-30) from the floor and 92.9% (13-14) from the free throw line. He needs just 22 points to become the 30th player in UIU history to reach 1,000 career points.
#13 Nate Mohr (WSC) averaged 21.0 points per game in a weekend split at UMC and BSU. He scored a career-high 27 points in Saturday’s 77-71 win at Bemidji State. He made a career-best six 3-pointers, going 8-13 from field and 6-10 beyond the arc. He also scored 15 points Friday in 75-59 loss at Minnesota Crookston. For the weekend, he shot 13-25 from the field (52%) and 9-17 (52.9%) behind the arc.

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)
1/3/22
N: #21 Jacksen Moni - Northern State
S: #2 Jack Thompson - Sioux Falls
1/10/22
N: #32 Austin Andrews - Minnesota Duluth (4)
S: #13 Kenny Byers - SMSU
1/17/22
N: #5 Sam Masten - Northern State (2)
S: #15 Jake Hilmer - Upper Iowa
1/24/22
N: #23 Melvin Newbern- Minot State
S: #25 Tyler Riemersma - Augustana (3)
1/31/22
N: #22 Drew Blair - Minnesota Duluth
S: #5 Alec Rosner - Winona State


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.