MUSTANGS HOST APPLEBEE'S CLASSIC, FACE FHSU, MWSU
The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team will start regular season action as it hosts the Applebee's Classic this weekend. SMSU will welcome NSIC member, Upper Iowa and MIAA members, No. 10 Fort Hays State and Missouri Western State. The Mustangs will face Missouri Western State on Friday night at 6 p.m., before finishing the tourney on Saturday night playing Fort Hays State at 5 p.m.

CLASSIC INFORMATION
Friday, Nov. 13
    Upper Iowa vs. Fort Hays State (Kan.) | 4 p.m.
    Southwest Minnesota State vs. Missouri Western State | 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 14
    Upper Iowa vs. Missouri Western State | 3 p.m.
    Southwest Minnesota State vs. Fort Hays State | 5 p.m.

ABOUT UPPER IOWA—UIU is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Peacocks finished last season 7-20 overall and 5-17 in the conference for a 14th place finish. UIU suffered a 78-56, loss to MSU Moorhead in the opening round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament. The Peacocks were picked to finish seventh in the NSIC South and 14th overall. Senior guard, Whitney Kieffer was named a "Player to Watch" this season after she scored her 1,000th career point last season. She averaged 16.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.8 assists per game.

ABOUT MISSOURI WESTERN STATE—MWSU is a member of the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). The Griffons finished last season 15-12 overall and 9-10 in loop play for a seventh place finish in the MIAA after advancing to the second round of the conference tournament before suffering a loss. This year the Griffons are tabbed to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Poll as they return four starters, including leading scorer and first earn All-MIAA guard LaQuinta Jefferson.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE GRIFFONS—Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Missouri Western State for the fourth time in program history on Friday night with the Griffons holding a 2-1 advantage in a series that started back in the 1995-96 season. The teams first met at the North Dakota State Tournament in 1995 before playing again in both 1996-97 and 1997-98.

ABOUT FORT HAYS STATE—FHSU is a member of the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). Fort Hays State is coming off the best season in the program's NCAA Division II history as the Tigers finished with a 3­0-4 overall record and a 18-1 mark in conference play, while also earned its first-ever MIAA Championship. The Tigers finished at No. 8 in the ­­­WBCA Division II Poll last year, after making the NCAA Tournament Central Regional Final. FHSU is No. 10 in the 2015 WBCA Division II Preseason Poll and picked to finish second in the MIAA Preseason Poll, while the Tigers return three of five starters.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE TIGERS—Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Fort Hays State for the first time in program history on Saturday night.

CATCHING UP WITH THE MUSTANGS
The Mustangs closed out the exhibition portion of its schedule last Monday evening, defeating the University of Minnesota, Morris, 75-52, at the R/A Facility. SMSU recorded a win in its first exhibition game against the University of St. Thomas, 65-59 on Nov. 3.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball during the NSIC season can be heard all season long on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik handling the play-by-play and Anthony Rohlik as color analyst. Games can be heard via live stream at marshallradio.net. All NSIC games can be viewed online at smsumustangs.com/watchnow.

NSIC PRESEASON POLL
Southwest Minnesota State was picked to finish last in the 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Poll, voted on the 16 coaches in the league. SMSU sophomore forward Lauren Hedlund was named a "Player to Watch" for the 2015-16.

HEAD COACH ALLISON KRUGER
Allison Kruger begins her sixth season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and has compiled a record of 24-111, including 18-92 in NSIC play. Prior to SMSU, Kruger spent two seasons as assistant coach at NCAA Division I University of South Dakota and four years at Wayne State (Neb.).