THIS WEEK - Southwest Minnesota State University (16-13, 13-9 NSIC) opens play in the NSIC/Sanford Health Men's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at MSU Moorhead (18-10, 12-10 NSIC) with tip-off set for 8 p.m. at Nemzek Hall in Moorhead, Minn.  SMSU enters the tournament as the No. 5 seed in the NSIC South Division, while MSUM is the No. 4 seed in the NSIC North Division.  The winner of Wednesday's game will face the winner of the S1 Minnesota State and N8 Minnesota, Crookston game on Saturday, March 2, at the highest seed.  The entire 16-team NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament bracket can be found on page 18.  This is the first year the NSIC Tournament, established in 2000, has been a 16-team format.

SMSU defeated MSUM 86-82 in overtime on Jan. 19 in Moorhead, Minn., during the only meeting between the two teams this season.  SMSU finished the regular season tied for seventh overall in the NSIC standings, while MSUM finished ninth overall.

SMSU IN THE NSIC TOURNAMENT - Southwest Minnesota State is 14-11 all-time in the NSIC Tournament since the event began in 2000.  The Mustangs are 7-2 at home, 1-4 on the road and 6-5 in neutral sites games all-time in the tournament.   SMSU has advanced to the semifinals eight times and played in five championship games (2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012), including winning its lone tournament championship last season.  SMSU's lone road win during conference tournament play was on March 3, 2010, when SMSU, the No. 8 seed, defeated top-seeded Minnesota State.  A complete listing of each of SMSU's NSIC Tournament games is listed on page 19.

>SMSU Release

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