THIS WEEKEND - The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (10-9, 6-8 NSIC) looks to continue its winning ways this weekend with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games road games versus NSIC North Division teams. SMSU will face St. Cloud State University (10-10, 7-7 NSIC) on Friday, Jan. 29, at Halenbeck Hall starting at 8 p.m., before taking on the University of Minnesota Duluth (14-6, 10-4 NSIC) on Saturday, Jan. 30, with tip-off set for 6 p.m. at Romano Gym. SMSU is currently tied for fifth in the NSIC South Division, while UMD is currently second and SCSU fifth in the NSIC North standings respectively.

    BROADCAST INFO - Both games can be heard on 105.1 FM KARL. Live stats and webcast can be found at SMSUmustangs.com

    GAME DAY STORYLINES -
•SMSU connected on a season-high 12 3-pointers in the win over CSP last Saturday.
•Senior Shaun Condon scored a career-high 27 points in the win over MSU last Friday. He also had a career-high six assists in the victory over CSP.
•Junior Joey Bartlett has scored 17 points in two of the last three games. His previous season-high was 27 points in the season opener at Fort Hays State.
•Sophomore Carter Kirk ranks first in the NSIC (conference games only) in field goal pct. (65.1)
•Redshirt freshman Taylor Schafer scored a career-high 18 points vs. CSP on 7 of 11 shooting with four 3-pointers.
•Redshirt freshman Ryan Bruggeman dished out a career-high nine assists in the win over MSU.
•SMSU limited CSP to 55 points and 36 percent shooting, both season-lows by an SMSU opponent this season.
•SMSU opponents have made 10 or more 3-pointers in five of the last eight games and eight times overall this season.
•SMSU has outrebounded its opponents in 15 of 19 games this season and were tied in three other games.
•SMSU has shot 50 percent or higher in 10 of 19 games this season and has shot 50 percent or higher in 19 of 38 halves.
•SMSU has allowed 80 or more points in seven of its 14 NSIC games.
•SMSU has trailed at halftime in 12 of 19 games this season.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler recorded his 100th career victory on Dec. 5 at Upper Iowa. His 105 victories ranks second in program history. Greg Stemen (2001-09) is the all-time leader with 141 victories.
•Junior Mitch Weg ranks first in school history in career field goal pct. (57.6, 296 of 514).
•Sophomore MJ Delmore ranks first in school history in career 3-point field goal pct. (48.5, 66 of 136).

    SMSU IN THE NCAA STATS - SMSU ranks high in several categories in the latest Division II stats (through Jan. 24). SMSU ranks 29th field goal pct. (49.0), 43rd in assists (293), 54th in rebound margin (4.8) and 75th in assists per game (15.4). Mitch Weg ranks 33rd in offensive rebounds (3.21), while Ryan Bruggeman ranks 58th in total assists (82) and 86th in assists per game (4.3). A complete listing of the NCAA stats are found on page 16.

    SMSU IN THE NSIC STATS - In the conference stats (NSIC games only), SMSU ranks third in field goal pct., fourth in rebounding, eighth in scoring, 12th in scoring defense, 13th in 3-point field goal pct., 13th in 3-point field goal pct. defense and 14th in free throw pct. Carter Kirk is first in field goal pct., Ryan Bruggeman is sixth in assists per game and eighth in steals, while Mitch Weg ranks 10th in rebounding and 14th in field goal pct. A complete listing of the NSIC stats are found on page 14-15.

    SERIES HISTORY -     Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State meet for the 59th time in a series that started during the 1969-70 season. SCSU leads the series 39-19 and has won the last four games, including twice last season. SCSU holds a 23-7 all-time advantage in games played in St. Cloud. SMSU's last win in the series came on Feb. 11, 2012, in St. Cloud. SCSU holds an 8-5 series lead since joining the NSIC in 2008-09, including victories in the NSIC Tournament in 2010 and 2015. SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 3-8 versus SCSU.  
    Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth meet for the 81st time in a series dating back to 1972-73 with UMD leading 50-30. SMSU has won the last five games in the series and 12 of the last 13 meeting since the 2005-06 season. UMD's only win since the 2005-06 season came on Jan. 20, 2012, in Duluth. UMD holds a 32-8 advantage in games played in Duluth. SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-1 versus UMD.
    A complete game-by-game of each series can be found on pages 18-19.

    HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER - Brad Bigler is in his seventh season as head coach at SMSU and has compiled a record of 105-89, including 75-69 in NSIC play. He earned his 100th career victory on Dec. 5 at Upper Iowa. The 100 victories ranks second all-time in team history. The 2012-13 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to four winning seasons, including a pair of 19-win seasons during his six seasons. In 2011-12, SMSU won 19 games, captured the NSIC tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history. SMSU's 11th head coach, Bigler spent six seasons (2003-09) as an assistant coach at SMSU, including the last three as associate head coach. Bigler, 36, played at SMSU from 1997-2002 and finished his career as one of the winningest players in school history, compiling a record of 83-36 during his four-year playing career. He was a member of SMSU's 2001 NSIC and NCAA region championship team and ended his career appearing in 118 games and currently ranks sixth in school history with 286 assists. Bigler's complete bio is found on page 17.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE - Southwest Minnesota State is on a two-game winning streak following home win over Minnesota State (85-71) and Concordia-St. Paul (78-55) this past weekend. Shaun Condon poured in a career-high 27 points on 10 of 13 shooting in the win over MSU, while Carter Kirk added 14 points and seven rebounds. SMSU shot 56 percent from the field and held a 33-29 rebound advantage. In the victory over CSP, Taylor Schafer scored a career-high 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting with four 3-pointers. Joey Bartlett scored 17 points with four assists with Mitch Weg adding nine points and 11 rebounds. SMSU limited CSP to 55 points and 36 percent shooting, both season-lows for an SMSU opponent. SMSU made a season-high 12 3-pointers in the victory. For the season, SMSU is averaging 78 ppg, shooting 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 71 percent from the free throw line and hold a +4.8 rebound margin. SMSU opponents are averaging 79 ppg and shooting 49 percent from the field.

    ABOUT ST. CLOUD STATE - The Huskies are 10-10 overall, 7-7 NSIC, enter play on Friday on a season-high three-game winning streak. Junior guard Scottie Stone, who was named the NSIC North Player of the Week on Monday, leads the team in scoring at 19.8 ppg with a team-high 59 3-pointers. He scored his 1,000th career point in last Saturday's win over Minot State.  Redshirt freshman Gage Davis is averaging 19.3 ppg with 38 3-pointers and a team-high 7.6 rpg. SCSU is averaging 83 ppg, shooting 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, 76 percent from the free throw line and is a plus-4.1 in rebound margin. SCSU opponents are averaging 77 ppg and shooting 46 percent from the field. St. Cloud State head coach Matt Reimer is in his second season with a record of 28-22.

    ABOUT MINNESOTA DULUTH - The Bulldogs, are 14-6 overall, 10-4 NSIC, snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday with a home win versus U-Mary. UMD will play at the University of Sioux Falls on Friday. Senior guard Pierre Newton, averages a team-high 19.2 ppg and his shooting 84 percent from the free throw line. Senior forward Taylor Lavery is scoring 18.5 ppg with 54 3-pointers, while senior forward Brendon Pineda averages 14.7 ppg with a team-high 5.4 rpg. UMD is averaging 82 ppg, shooting 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, 72 percent from the free throw line and is a plus-0.7 in rebound margin. UMD opponents are averaging 80 ppg and shooting 45 percent from the field. UMD head coach Matt Bowen is in his fourth season. He was also head coach at Bemidji State University for six seasons.

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NORTH - SMSU is 1-3 versus teams from the NSIC North Division this season after two losses to Northern State and MSU Moorhead on Jan. 15-16. SMSU is 17-11 versus NSIC North Division teams in regular season play since divisions were introduced during the 2012-13 season. SMSU finished 5-3 versus teams North teams in conference play last season. During the 2013-14 regular season, SMSU had a 5-3 mark, while in 2012-13, SMSU posted a 6-2 record.
    The NSIC South holds a 138-86 advantage over NSIC North teams in regular season play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, but are 6-10 this season. Last season the South finished 35-29 versus the North, in 2013-14 the South finished 42-22, while in 2012-13, the South went 47-17.

    JOEY BARTLETT NOTES - Has started all 19 games ... averaging 11.4 ppg and 5.1 rpg, ranking second on the team in both categories ... second on the team with 18 3-pointers ... scored a season-high 27 points at Fort Hays State (11/14) ... led the team in scoring last season with 13.8 ppg ... tied for team-lead with 58 3-pointers ...  scored double figures in 19 games ... older brother of teammate Kolin.

    KOLIN BARTLETT NOTES - Has played in three games ... scored three points vs. Concordia-St. Paul (1/23) ... redshirted during the 2014-15 season ... younger brother of teammate Joey.

    RYAN BRUGGEMAN NOTES - Has started all 19 games ... averaging 8.3 ppg ... scored game-winning shot with 4.5 seconds remaining versus Minot State (12/12) ... leads team with 82 assists ... season-high nine assists vs. Minnesota State (1/22) ... has five or more assists in nine games ... scored career-high 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting vs. Northern State (11/19) ... redshirted during the 2014-15 season.

    SHAUN CONDON NOTES - Has played in all 19 games with 17 starts ... averaging 7.6 ppg ... second on the team with 18 3-pointers ... scored career-high 27 points vs. Minnesota State (1/22) ... played in just three games in 2014-15 due to an injury ... led team in 2013-14 with 39 3-pointers and shot 43.8 percent from 3-point range, ranking eighth best in team history.

    MJ DELMORE NOTES - Has played in 18 games ... averaging 5.2 ppg ... scored 12 points vs. U-Mary (12/11) and Minot State (12/12) ... ranks first in school history in career 3-point field goal pct. (48.5, 66 of 136) ...  played in 29 games with 17 starts in 2014-15 ... averaged 8.9 ppg ... had 12 double figure scoring games ... led team with 77 assists.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES - Has played in all 19 games ... averaging 9.1 ppg and 4.8 rpg ... shooting 67 percent from the field ... scored career-high 19 points on 9 of 10 shooting vs. Minot State (12/12) ... first career double-double vs. Winona State (1/9) ... has five or more rebounds in 11 games ... one of two true freshman to play in 2014-15 ... played in all 29 games with 15 starts ... averaged 8.2 ppg and ranked second on the team with 5.4 rpg.

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES - Has played in all 19 games with 14 starts ... averaging 3.6 ppg and 2.8 rpg ... scored season-high nine points vs. Sioux Falls (12/19) ... career-high six rebounds vs. Upper Iowa (1/8) ... only true freshman to play this season.

    JAKE MAIERS NOTES - Has played in three games and has scored four points ... redshirted during the 2014-15 season.

    TURNER MOEN NOTES - Has played in 19 games with five starts ... averaging 5.2 ppg and 3.2 rpg ... scored season-high 10 points at Sioux Falls (12/8) and at Wayne State (1/2) ... grabbed six rebounds at MSU Denver (11/27) and at Sioux Falls (12/8) ... one of two true freshman to play in 2014-15 ... played in all 28 games with 18 starts ... averaged 7.5 ppg with 25 3-pointers ... averaged 3.7 rpg.

    DREW OSMUNDSON NOTES - Has played in seven games ... averaging 4.4 ppg ... scored season-high 10 points vs. Concordia-St. Paul (1/23) ... had career-highs in rebounds (7) and assists (7) at MSU Moorhead (1/16) ... played in 18 games with 12 starts in 2014-15, but missed the last 11 games with a season-ending injury ... finished third on the team with 51 assists ... averaged 5.7 ppg and 2.0 rpg.

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES - Has played in all 19 games with one start ... averaging 8.5 ppg ... leads team with 39 3-pointers ... scored career-high 18 points vs. Concordia-St. Paul (1/23) on 7 of 11 shooting ... redshirted during the 2014-15 season.



    MITCH WEG NOTES - Has started all 19 games ... a career 57.6 percent field goal shooter ranking first in team history ... leads team in both scoring (12.5) and rebounding (7.2) ... scored season-high 21 points vs. Northern State (11/9) ... grabbed season-high 13 rebounds at Regis (11/28) ... leads team with three double-doubles ... played in all 29 games with 17 starts in 2014-15 ... averaged 12.1 ppg ... led team with 6.1 rpg ... shot 55.6 percent from the field ... finished ranking fourth in the NSIC in free throw pct. (84.1), seventh in field goal pct. (56.5) and seventh in rebounding (6.2).

    JOSH WEIX NOTES - Has played in 18 games ... averaging 4.7 ppg and 2.6 rpg ... scored 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting at MSU Denver (11/27) ... season-high six rebounds at Winona State (12/4) ... redshirted during the 2014-15 season.

    MUSTANGS REACH 100 AND THEN SOME - Southwest Minnesota State's 111-105 overtime win over Northern State on Nov. 19 tied for the second most points scored in a game in school history. The last time SMSU scored 111 points came versus Martin Luther College during the 1997-98 season. The school record is 126 versus Northland College during the 1999-2000 season. SMSU is 34-8 all-time when reaching 100 points in a game.

    WEG NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK - SMSU junior forward Mitch Weg was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Nov. 23. Weg is the first SMSU player to earn the conference weekly award since the 2012-13 season. Weg scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in SMSU's 111-105 non-conference win over Northern State. Weg is the first SMSU player to score 20 points and grab 10 rebounds in a single game since Nick Smith (20-10) on Jan. 11, 2013.  

    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES -  Southwest Minnesota State has five current players who have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers, including four times this season. Sophomore Joey Bartlett has reached the 20-point mark nine times, including once this season. Junior Mitch Weg has reached the mark three times, including once this season,  senior Shaun Condon has done it once this season and three times in his career, while redshirt freshman Ryan Bruggeman has done it once this season. Sophomore Turner Moen have each reached 20 or more points twice in his career.

    HOME AND AWAY - SMSU is 5-3 at home this season after finishing the 2014-15 home season 6-8. It was the program's first home losing season since 2004-05. SMSU is a combined 86-33 at home since the 2007-08 season. The Mustangs are 5-6 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 44-61 in 105 road/neutral site games since 2009-10. The following is a statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away/neutral games in 2015-16:
    W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    5-3    48.8    36.3    74.7    35.9    80.2    11.8    
Away    5-6    49.2    35.0    68.4    34.5    75.5    14.3         

    HOME SWEET HOME - The 2015-16 season is the 20th year that the R/A Facility has been the home arena for SMSU men's basketball. The facility has proven to be a tough place for opponents with SMSU compiling a record of 193-75 (.720) in 268 all-time games with just two losing seasons (2004-05 and 2014-15). SMSU has recorded double figure home victories in eight of the past 10 seasons.

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES - Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 511 straight games. The last time SMSU failed to score a 3-pointer was on Dec. 11, 1998, versus MSU Moorhead at the North Dakota State Classic in Fargo, N.D.

    WORKING OVERTIME - SMSU is 43-37 all-time in overtime games, including 1-0 this season, following the win over Northern State on Nov. 19. SMSU has struggled in overtime games in recent seasons, going 4-11 since 2006-07. SMSU's last overtime win prior to this season was Jan. 19, 2013, at MSU Moorhead. SMSU is 6-6 all-time in double overtime games and 0-2 in triple overtime games.

    SMSU SIGNS TWO DURING EARLY PERIOD - Southwest Minnesota State announced on Nov. 12 that high school standouts, guard Nick Dufault from Waseca, Minn., and forward Braedan Hanson from Grand Forks, N.D., signed Letters of Intent during the early signing period.

    2015-16 NSIC PRESEASON POLL - Southwest Minnesota State University was picked to finish eighth overall and fourth in the South Division in the annual 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll released in October. Augustana was chosen as the overall preseason favorite earning 225 points, including all 15 first-place votes and was also picked to win the South Division. SMSU junior forward Joey Bartlett was named an "NSIC Player to Watch" for the 2015-16 season.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC - This season marks the 47th year SMSU men's basketball has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. SMSU has an all-time record of 324-370 in 694 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 23 times in 46 seasons. SMSU has finished in the top half of the NSIC standings in 14 of the last 18 seasons since 1997-98.

    MUSTANG HISTORY - Southwest Minnesota State is in its 49th season of men's basketball and has played 1,338 games compiling an all-time record of 597-741. SMSU has won two NSIC regular season championships (2001 & 2009), one NSIC tournament championship (2012), two NCAA region championships (2001 & 2009) and appeared in three NCAA tournaments (2001, 2009, 2012). SMSU has recorded 21 winning seasons in program history with 14 coming in the last 17 years (including this season).