Senior: Matt Pile of Omaha is this week’s senior of the week. Almost want to give it to him regardless of his numbers over the week. The senior whose team is on the verge of being eliminated from the Summit League tournament just doesn’t want his season to end. While Omaha is down to 6 scholarship players it was said that it was likely Pile would be on a minutes restriction due to an injured ankle and as you watched the game it was clear Pile was limping on the ankle. Pile just gutted through those two games. As amazing as the fact he played 36 minutes in both games on an injured ankle, he also averaged 16.5 points per game. Pile also averaged 9 rebounds and added in 3 blocks over the weekend.
Week 1 Matt Pile, Omaha
Week 2 Stanley Umude, South Dakota
Week 3 Will Carius, Western Illinois
Week 4 Rocky Kreuser, North Dakota State
Week 5 Stanley Umude, South Dakota
Week 6 Rocky Kreuser, North Dakota State
Week 7 Rocky Kreuser, North Dakota State
Week 8 Brandon McKissic, Kansas City
Week 9 Stanley Umude, South Dakota
Week 10 Will Carius, Western Illinois
Week 11 Will Carius, Western Illinois
Junior: Filip Rebraca quietly put together a Summit League player of the week type of performance over the weekend. The Fighting Hawks don’t play next week going into the Summit League tournament, so Rebraca left it all on the court this week. The junior forward from Serbia put up 19.5 points and 13 rebounds per game in the weekend split with Omaha.
Week 1 Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts
Week 2 Alex Arians, South Dakota State
Week 3 Wanyang Tut, Omaha
Week 4 Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts
Week 5 Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts
Week 6 Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts
Week 7 Jase Townsend, Denver
Week 8 Tyree Eady, North Dakota State
Week 9 Filip Rebraca, North Dakota
Week 10 Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts
Week 11 Cameron Burrell, Western Illinois
Sophomore: When you win Summit League player of the week, it is understandable that you would win the Reaching the Summit award in your class. This week’s sophomore is South Dakota’s AJ Plitzuweit, who dueled Max Abmas in one of the greatest back and forth games and offensive performances in the Summit League this year. Plitzuweit in scoring 37 outscored Abmas by 1 and his team escaped with the victory as Abmas’ 3 at the buzzer missed. Plitzuweit hit the game-winning free throws in the Yotes 86-84 victory and made 8 three-pointers.
Week 1 Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Week 2 Baylor Scheierman, South Dakota State
Week 3 Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Week 4 Jarius Cook, North Dakota State
Week 5 A.J. Plitzuweit, South Dakota
Week 6 A.J. Plitzuweit, South Dakota
Week 7 Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Week 8 Tasos Kamateros, South Dakota
Week 9 AJ Plitzuweit, South Dakota
Week 10 Baylor Scheierman, South Dakota State
Week 11 Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Freshmen: Sam Hines is lost in the shuffle a bit this season due to Denver’s team struggles, but he may be the Summit League’s freshmen of the year. Hines continues to impress week in and week out. Hines averaged 13.5 points per game this weekend including a team-leading 19 in game 2 against a stingy Kansas City defense.
Week 1 Tyree Ihenacho, North Dakota
Week 2 Tyree Ihenacho, North Dakota
Week 3 Sam Hines Jr, Denver
Week 4 Grant Nelson, North Dakota State
Week 5 La’Mel Robinson, Omaha
Week 6 Grant Nelson, North Dakota State
Week 7 Sam Hines Jr, Denver
Week 8 Tyree Ihenacho, North Dakota
Week 9 Jacob Johnson, Kansas City
Week 10 Tyree Ihenacho, North Dakota
Week 11 Sam Hines Jr, Denver
Reserve: North Dakota State freshman Grant Nelson is this week’s Reserve Player of the Week. In two games against South Dakota State, Nelson scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. The Devils Lake native played 44 minutes over the weekend and hauled down seven rebounds. Nelson also finished with three steals as the Bison split with SDSU. Nelson has scored 10 points or more eight times this season and is averaging 6.1 points per game and 3.3 rebounds.
Week 1 Marlon Ruffin, Omaha
Week 2 Sam Hines, Denver
Week 3 Gertautas Urbonavicius, North Dakota
Week 4 Gertautas Urbonavicius, North Dakota
Week 5 Mitchell Sueker, North Dakota
Week 6 Adam Anhold, Western Illinois
Week 7 Eric Moenkhaus, Denver and Mitchell Sueker, North Dakota
Week 8 Caleb Nero, North Dakota
Week 9 Caleb Nero, North Dakota
Week 10 Robert Jones, Denver
Week 11 Kobey Lam, Denver
Defense: North Dakota is going to be recognized for their defense last weekend against Omaha. The Fighting Hawks gave up 70.5 points per game over the weekend. UND had 5 steals in both games and did a good job on the glass, particularly in game 2 when they held a 42-24 rebounding advantage.
Week 1 North Dakota State
Week 2 North Dakota
Week 3 Western Illinois
Week 4 Denver
Week 5 Kansas City
Week 6 Kansas City
Week 7 Kansas City
Week 8 Kansas City
Week 9 Kansas City
Week 10 North Dakota State
Week 11 Kansas City