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S.D. – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) selected Darryl Howell of Valley City State (N.D.) for this week Men’s Basketball Player-of-the-Week, the fifth edition was announced Monday by the conference office.

North Star Athletics Association Men’s Basketball Player-of-the-Week   

Darryl Howell – Valley City State (N.D.) – 6’1″ – Junior – Guard – Peoria, Ill. – Howell averaged 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks as 19th-ranekd Valley City State (N.D.) earned a split against NAIA’s Top 25 teams.  He scored a game-high 27 points in a 93-89 loss to No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) where he was 10-of-20 from the field.  He followed with nine points with four assists and four blocks in 66-60 NSAA conference overtime victory over No. 13 Bellevue (Neb.).  For the week, Howell was 14-of-34 from the field (41.2 percent) and 5-of-8 free-throws with 36 total points. 

Recap from last week games
Valley City State (N.D.), ranked No. 19 in the second edition of the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 national poll, split a pair of home games against Top 25 teams.  The Vikings fell short to No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 93-89 on Dec. 5, but bounced back in the winning column with a 66-60 NSAA conference overtime thriller over No. 13 Bellevue (Neb.) on Dec. 12.  VCSU is 11-2 overall record and 3-0 in NSAA conference action.

Prior playing at Valley City State, the Bruins defeated Mayville State (N.D.) 81-71 on Dec. 11.  BU is 9-5 overall record and 2-1 in NSAA.  MSU dropped to 5-6 overall record and 0-3 NSAA (also lost in an exhibition game against NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead 77-56 on Dec. 7).

Jamestown (N.D.), receiving votes in the national poll, held on to an 83-74 victory over Trinity Bible (N.D.) on Dec. 8 in Jamestown for UJ’s sixth straight victory.  The Jimmies raised their overall record to 9-3 (1-0 NSAA).

Viterbo (Wis.) lost a 66-62 home decision to Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Dec. 9.  The V-Hawks improved to 5-7 overall record and 2-2 NSAA conference after defeating at Waldorf (Iowa) 77-72 in overtime on Dec. 12.  The Warriors, receiving votes in the national poll, fell to 6-3 overall record and 1-2 NSAA conference record.

Dakota State (S.D.) earned a game-winning basket with less than five seconds remaining and held on to defeat Northwestern (Iowa) 81-79 on Dec. 9 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.  The Trojans improved to 6-5 overall record.

Presentation (S.D.) (7-1 overall record) and Dickinson State (N.D.) (6-3 overall record) were idle last week.