Jan. 3, 2006

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Bemidji State University senior guard Will Watson (Baton Rouge, La.) has been named as a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league today announced.

Watson joins Bryce Caldwell of Wayne State College and Southwest Minnesota State University's Chad Orem as the league's honorees for the week of Jan. 3.

Watson, BSU's reserve point guard, has seen his playing time increase considerably during recent weeks and the senior has taken advantage of each second he has been on the court. In two games last week at the Sioux Valley Clinic Holiday Classic hosted by Augustana College, Watson helped BSU to a 1-1 record posting a 101-80 win over No. 18 University of South Dakota averaging 17.0 points and 3.5 assists per game.

In the Beavers win over USD, Watson scored 15 points, was 4-of-5 from behind the arc and led all players with five assists. The following evening he poured in a career-high 19 points, turning in a 5-for-9 performance from three-point range.

Playing in each of the Beavers 12 games this season, Watson is averaging nearly six points per game while ranking second on the team in three-point shooting percentage hitting 16-of-42 (.381).

The award is the first of its kind in the short career of Watson and the first of the 2005-06 season for the BSU men's basketball team.

The Beavers are 5-7 after completing their non-conference season. The team opens the 2005-06 conference schedule traveling to Concordia-St. Paul and No. 14 Winona State this weekend. The Beavers battle CSP Friday night at the Gangelhoff Center while attempting to knock off 2004-05 NSIC Regular Season Champion Winona State Saturday at McCown Gymnasium. Each game is set for an 8 p.m. tip-off.