From VCSU Athletics

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – For the second straight week, Valley City State senior Kevin Schramm has been named the North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. The Viking senior forward scored his 1,000th career point this week as he posted a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double in a victory against Dickinson State.

North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Player-of-the-Week
Kevin Schramm – Valley City State (N.D.) – 6’6″ – Senior – forward – Roseville, Minn. – Schramm produced a double-double of 23 points and pulled down 15 rebounds (11 defense) as Valley City State (N.D.) earned a 79-74 regular-season finale home victory over Dickinson State (N.D.).  He scored his 1,000th career points during the game, becoming the 20th Viking to surpass that mark in men’s basketball.  He also recorded two assists, one steal, and one block in the game.

Recap from last week’s games
Two North Star Athletic Association teams clinched a share of the league title on Feb. 18 after their victory.  Viterbo (Wis.) used a strong second-half surge to roll past Waldorf (Iowa) 97-66 at home.  The V-Hawks is 15-12 overall record and 9-5 NSAA conference record, while the Warriors fell to 5-22 overall record and 3-11 NSAA conference record.

Bellevue (Neb.) held off Dakota State (S.D.) in a 68-67 home thriller in the regular-season finale in Bellevue.  The Bruins are 17-12 overall record and 9-5 record in the league.  The Trojans dropped their overall record to 12-17 and 7-7 NSAA conference record.

Valley City State (N.D.) rallied back for a 79-74 home victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) in the regular-season finale.  The Vikings won their third straight game to lift their overall record to 17-10 and 8-6 NSAA conference record.  The Blue Hawks fell to 9-19 overall record and 6-8 NSAA conference record.

Mayville State (N.D.) held off Presentation (S.D.) 68-62 to conclude their regular-season schedule in Mayville, N.D. on Feb. 19.  The Comets are 16-9 overall record and 8-6 NSAA conference record.  The Saints are 13-14 overall record and 6-8 NSAA conference record.

Looking Ahead This Week
Viterbo (Wis.) and Bellevue (Neb.) shared the 2022 North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball regular-season title.  The V-Hawks and the Bruins each finished the conference play with a 9-5 record.

Viterbo (15-12 overall record) holds the tiebreaker over Bellevue (17-12 overall record) for the top-seed team for the NSAA postseason tournament, which will start on Wednesday evening (Feb. 23) at four higher seeds.  VU and BU split their head-to-head meetings this season.  The tie is broken as the V-Hawks went 2-0 record each versus Valley City State (N.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.), while the Bruins went 1-1 record against both VCSU and MSU.

The Vikings (17-10 overall record) and the Comets (16-9 overall record) are tied for third in the league standings with an 8-6 record each.  The tie could not be broken by both teams (split head-to-head meetings and have the same record versus other NSAA conference teams).  The NSAA commissioner conducted a coin toss and assigned VCSU as a No. 3 seed and MSU as a No. 4 seed.

Dakota State (S.D.) (12-17 overall record, 7-7 NSAA conference record) holds the sole possession for fifth place in the standings.

There is a third tie in the NSAA men’s basketball standings between Dickinson State (N.D.) (9-19 overall record) and Presentation (S.D.) (13-14 overall record) with 6-8 record each in league play.  The Blue Hawks owned the tiebreaker over the Saints by going 2-0 record in head-to-head meetings this season.  DiSU will be the No. 6 seed and PC will be the No. 7 seed.

Waldorf (Iowa) (5-22 overall record, 3-11 NSAA conference record) is the No. 8 seed for the postseason tournament.

The opening round pairings on Wednesday evening includes Waldorf at Viterbo; Dakota State at Mayville State; Dickinson State at Valley City State; and Presentation at Bellevue.

The four opening round winners will advance to the Final Four at the final site in Watertown Civic Arena (in Watertown, S.D.) on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, Feb. 27.  The semifinals take place at 6 p.m., followed by 8 p.m. on Feb. 26, with the winners advancing to the championship game on Feb. 27 with a 4 p.m. tip-off time.

The NSAA postseason tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament’s opening round.  The national tournament opening round is scheduled for March 11-12.

The winners of the NAIA’s opening round games will advance to the final site at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. on March 17-22.

Wednesday’s Games – NSAA Opening Round – Campus Sites
Presentation (S.D.) @ Bellevue (Neb.) – 6 p.m.
Waldorf (Iowa) @ Viterbo (Wis.) – 7 p.m.
Dakota State (S.D.) @ Mayville State (N.D.) – 7 p.m.
Dickinson State (N.D.) @ Valley City State (N.D.) – 7 p.m.

Saturdays’ Games – NSAA Final Four – Semifinals – Civic Arena – Watertown, S.D.
Dakota State (S.D.)/Mayville State (N.D.) winner vs. Waldorf (Iowa)/Viterbo (Wis.) winner – 6 p.m.
Dickinson State (N.D.)/Valley City State (N.D.) winner vs. Presentation (S.D.)/Bellevue (Neb.) winner – 8 p.m.

Sunday’s Game – NSAA Final Four – Championship Game – Civic Arena – Watertown, S.D.
Saturday’s semifinal winners – 4 p.m.
Winner receives NSAA’s automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round on March 11-12

NSAA Men’s Basketball Conference Standings