Every weekend seems to be a big one for Minot State forward Melvin Newbern, but after leading the way to a pair of home wins this past weekend, the Beavers senior was honored for his play.

Newbern, who led the way in rebounds both nights and averaged 17.5 points per game in wins over Minnesota State, Mankato and Concordia-St. Paul, was named the NSIC North Division Player of the Week on Monday.

Friday in a 97-69 win over the visiting Mavericks, Newbern scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Beavers (12-4 overall, 6-4 NSIC). He also added in three assists and shot 6-of-8 from the field for Minot State, which was playing its first game since Jan. 2 – a 19-day layoff.

On Saturday, in a 98-54 victory over the visiting Golden Bears, Newbern again led the way with game-highs of 20 points and eight rebounds for the Beavers. He added three steals, an assist, and blocked one shot in the win while hitting 7-of-9 shots from the field.

Overall, Newbern finished the two-game sweep averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game for the Beavers while shooting a blistering 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the field.

On the season, Newbern leads the Beavers averaging nearly a double-double per game with 15.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest. He also is shooting 56.7 percent from the field on the season for Minot State, which now hits the road for games at No. 19-ranked Upper Iowa on Friday and at Winona State on Saturday.

The honor is the first of the season for Newbern and the Minot State men’s basketball program.

Stevahn also captures NSIC Player of the

Week honors for MSU women

Leading the way with her best offensive game in a Minot State uniform, forward Amber Stevahn helped the Beavers to a pair of home wins over the weekend and has honored for her efforts.

The Beavers 5-foot-11 junior who averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds per game as Minot State beat Minnesota State, Mankato and Concordia-St. Paul on Friday and Saturday, was named NSIC Player of the Week for the North Division on Monday.

Friday night in an 81-71 win over South Division-leading Minnesota State, Stevahn turned in her best scoring performance ever in a Minot State uniform with a game-high 30 points as she went 10-for-18 from the field and added in a rare pair of 3-point field goals (giving her nine total 3s on the season). She also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds in the win and added four assists for the Beavers.

Saturday night in an 81-70 win over visiting Concordia-St. Paul, she had 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Beavers, along with an assist and a steal.

Stevahn, who one week earlier eclipsed 2,000 points in her collegiate career, leads the Beavers this season in scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Minot State is back in action this coming weekend playing at Upper Iowa on Friday and at Winona State on Saturday. The honor is the first of the season for Stevahn and the Minot State women’s basketball program.