BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball junior Jakob Braaten has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Week on Monday following his play in a pair of SMSU home victories this past weekend.
 
Braaten, a 6-foot, 200-pound guard from Byron, Minn., averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals, while shooting 48 percent (15 of 31) from the field to help the Mustangs earn victories over MSU Moorhead and No. 4 ranked Minot State.
 
Braaten opened the weekend on Friday scoring 17 points on 7 of 15 shooting, while grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out three assists and adding three steals in SMSU's 59-53 win over MSUM. Braaten helped a Mustang defense limit the Dragons to a season-low 53 points and 35 percent shooting from the field.
 
In SMSU's 76-73 victory over MSU on Saturday, Braaten scored a game-high 22 points on 8 of 16 shooting, while making 5 of 5 from the free throw line. He grabbed team-high seven rebounds while adding three assists and two steals. It was his third 20-point scoring game this season.
 
For the season, Braaten is averaging 13.7 points per game, while shooting 53 percent (84 of 158) from the field. He leads the team with 58 assists and ranks second in both rebounding (6.4) and steals (27).
 
A 2021 graduate of Byron High School, Braaten has played in 71 career games with 45 starts and has scored 544 points, while shooting 48 percent (205 of 425) from the field, including 35 percent (35 of 99) from 3-point range. He is a career 80 percent (99 of 124) shooter from the free throw line and has grabbed 327 rebounds, recorded 191 assists and 86 steals.
 
SMSU, 13-3 overall, is tied for first in the NSIC standings with an 8-2 record and have won four straight games. The Mustangs, ranked No. 23 in last week's CSC Top 25 poll, continue home action on Friday night versus Northern State starting at 5:30 p.m. before hosting UMary on Saturday starting at 3:30 p.m.