BURNSVILLE, MINN. -- Sophomore guard Jack Thompson of the University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (8-6, 4-4 NSIC), who scored a career-best 34 points in a road win at Southwest Minnesota State on Jan. 2, has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Men's Basketball South Division Player of the Week, according to an announcement today (Monday, Jan. 3) by the league office.
 

A business major from Eagan, Minn., Thompson is USF's first NSIC Player of the Week in 2021-22. In the win over SMSU, Thompson willed his team to a win by scoring 28 points in the second half as the Cougars registered a 72-72 overtime win against the Mustangs.

Thompson, who hit two free throws with a second to play in overtime to give USF its fourth NSIC win in eight games and eighth overall win in 14 played this season, scored 15 straight points at one stretch of the second half to help USF rally from down six points (46-40) and 8:45 left in the game. At that point Thompson took control as he began a 15-point personal scoring run with a three as USF cut the deficit to 46-43 at the 7:37 mark. Then, Thompson converted a lay-up with the "and 1" tied the game at 48 with 5:49 to play. He hit a triple for 13 straight points as USF took a 54-50 lead. In the closing moments of regulation, Thompson made a free throw to give USF a 60-58 lead with nine seconds to go. However, SMSU converted two foul shots to tie the game at 60 and forced overtime. After hitting the go-ahead basket with 24 seconds left in overtime, he made two foul shots with a second to play to lift USF to the win. 

"Jack (Thompson) willed us to a win in a big game on the road," said USF Head Coach Chris Johnson. "He was unbelievable in the second half when he made big shot after big shot. Congrats to him on winning the NSIC Weekly honor as he was very deserving," he said.

In the game, Thompson made 8-of-21 field goals, including 2-of-4 from three-point range, while knocking in 16-of-19 foul shots. He also had four rebounds, three assists and four steals in his career-best performance. He now has 28 double-digit scoring games with nine games of 20 points or better and his first over 30 points. His previous career-best was 27 vs Minnesota State on Jan. 31, 2021. However Thompson beat that total in second half and overtime as he averaged better than a point a minute in those 25 minutes to play.

Thompson and his teammates will host U-Mary on Jan. 7 and Minot State on Jan. 8 at the Stewart Center.