Independent file photo SMSU’s Carter Kirk goes up for a shot during their game against Bemidji State University on Saturday.

BURNSVILLE – Southwest Minnesota State University senior center Carter Kirk has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division Player of the Week today after helping pace SMSU to a pair of home victories this past weekend.

It’s the second time in three weeks that Kirk, a 6-foot-8, 242-pound native Mountain Lake, has earned the weekly award.

Kirk averaged 20 points and nine rebounds, while shooting 67 percent (16 of 24) from the field in leading SMSU to victories over Minnesota Crookston (82-75) and Bemidji State (78-72).

Kirk scored 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting with eight rebounds in 26 minutes in the win over UMC on Friday night. On Saturday, Kirk poured in a career-high 25 points on 10 of 13 shooting with 10 rebounds recording his seventh double-double of the season. Kirk’s three-point play with 1:37 remaining in the game snapped a 70-70 game. Less than a minute later Kirk scored another field goal to push SMSU’s lead to 75-70 and help the Mustangs notched their third straight victory. His 10 field goals made tied a career-high, set earlier this season versus Emporia State.

For the season, Kirk is averaging 14.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 60.7 percent (105 of 173) from the field. He has scored in double figures 13 times, including four 20-point scoring games. He also has recorded seven or more rebounds in 17 of 18 games.

Kirk, a 2014 graduate of Mountain Lake High School, has scored 1,085 points in 108 career games, ranking 18th in the team scoring record book. He also ranks first in team history in field goal percentage (58.5), fourth in rebounds (718), sixth in free throws attempts (368) and eighth in blocked shots (77).

Southwest Minnesota State (13-5 NSIC, 9-3 NSIC) resumes play on Friday night at Concordia-St. Paul starting at 8 p.m. SMSU closes the weekend on Saturday playing at Minnesota State with tip-off slated for 6 p.m.

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