THIS WEEKEND - The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (9-9, 5-7 NSIC) heads on the road this weekend for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division games against two of the hottest teams in the conference. SMSU will take on No. 20 Minnesota State University (14-3, 7-3 NSIC) on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Taylor Center starting at 8 p.m., before taking on Concordia-St. Paul (11-6, 7-4 NSIC) on Saturday, Jan. 24, starting at 6 p.m. at the Gangelhoff Center.
SMSU will be looking to break a five-game losing streak--its longest since 2003-04--and also earn its first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season. MSU has won five of its last six games, while CU has won three straight games and six of its last seven since Dec. 20.
RADIO - Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik handling play-by-play and Anthony Rohlik serving as analyst.
SERIES HISTORY - Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State meet for the 50th time in a series that started during the 1969-70 season. MSU leads the overall series 37-13 and has won the last five games in the series, including three times last season. MSU leads 19-7 in games played in Mankato, including winning the last two played at the Taylor Center. SMSU's last win at MSU was on Feb. 25, 2012. MSU holds an 10-5 series lead since joining the NSIC in 2008-09. SMSU head coach
Brad Bigler is 3-9 versus MSU.
Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul meet for the 32nd time in a series dating back to 1980-81 with SMSU leading 24-7. SMSU has won the last seven in the series with CU's last victory occurring on Dec. 12, 2010. SMSU holds a 10-5 advantage in games played in St. Paul, including winning the last three. SMSU head coach
Brad Bigler is 7-3 versus CU.
A game-by-game listing of both series is located on page 17-18.
GAMEDAY STORYLINES -•SMSU's last victory over a nationally-ranked team was on Jan. 17, 2014, versus No. 16 Winona State in Marshall, 73-71.
•SMSU's five-game losing streak is the program's longest since losing six straight in 2003-04.
•SMSU scored a season-low 57 points and shot a season-low 35.6 percent last Saturday versus MSU Moorhead.
•Twice this season SMSU has had two players score 20 or more points in a single-game with
Cole Martin and
Joey Bartlett reaching the mark at Upper Iowa and versus Northern State. Prior to this season, the last time SMSU had two players score 20 or more points in a single-game occurred on Feb. 16, 2013.
•SMSU head coach
Brad Bigler is one win shy of tying Pierre duCharme (1981-90) for second on the career victories list at SMSU with 93.
•SMSU has made 10 or more 3-pointers in nine games this season after reaching double figures just twice all of last season.
•SMSU has shot 50 percent or higher from the field in 10 of 18 games.
•SMSU has shot 50 percent or higher from the field in 19 of the 36 halves this season.
•SMSU has held a rebound advantage in 11 of 18 games.
•SMSU has held a lead or has been tied at halftime in 11 of 18 games.
•The SMSU 2014-15 roster features three seniors, three sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and seven true freshmen.
