THE GAMES
The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (3-0) will head to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a pair of non-conference games versus teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). On Friday night, SMSU will battle Michigan Tech (1-1) in Houghton, Mich., with tip-off slated for 6:30 p.m. CST. On Saturday, SMSU will take on Northern Michigan (1-1) with game time set for 2 p.m. CST in Marquette, Mich. The weekend caps off a busy opening week for SMSU, which will play five games in eight days.

    SMSU'S BEST START SINCE 2009-10
•SMSU is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2009-10 team opened the season 4-0.
•SMSU has never started a season 5-0.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.
•The game can also be viewed online at SMSUmustangs.com and clicking on the schedule link.
    
    SERIES HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State and Michigan Tech meet for the 29th time on Friday with MTU leading 21-7.
•SMSU is 0-12 all-time at MTU.
•The teams were members of the NIC from 1969-80, with the first 22 meetings in the series serving as conference games.
•MTU has won the last five games in the series.
•MTU won the last meeting, 74-59 in Marshall on Nov. 28, 2014.
•SMSU's last victory came during the 1987-88 season.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 0-4 all-time versus Michigan Tech.
•Southwest Minnesota State and Northern Michigan meet for the fourth time with SMSU leading 2-1.
•SMSU won the only meeting in Marquette, earning a 68-53 win on Nov. 21, 2013.
•SMSU won the last meeting in Marshall, 78-58, on Nov. 29, 2014.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 2-0 all-time versus Northern Michigan.
 
    GAME DAY STORYLINES
•SMSU snapped an eight-game road losing streak on Tuesday with an 83-82 win at Northern State.
•Prior to Tuesday night, SMSU's last road win came at Wayne State on Jan. 2, 2016.
•SMSU finished 4-11 on the road last season.
•SMSU has been outrebounded in all three games this season.
•Mitch Weg has his fifth career 20-point scoring game on Tuesday at Northern State.
•Senior Joey Bartlett became the 20th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points during SMSU's win versus Emporia State on Nov. 13.
•SMSU opponents made 10 or more 3-pointers 11 times last season. In three games this season, opponents have made just five total 3-pointers.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler is in his eighth season as head coach and has compiled an overall record of 111-95.
•The 111 victories ranks second all-time in team history.
•Bigler has a record of 78-74 in NSIC play.
•The 2012-13 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to four winning seasons, including a pair of 19-win 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's complete bio is found on page 9.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU moved to 3-0 on Tuesday night with a non-conference road victory over NSIC rival Northern State, 83-82.
•Mitch Weg scored a team-high 20 points on 9 of 10 shooting.
•Taylor Schafer came off the bench to pour in 19 points with three 3-pointers.
•KJ Davis scored 13 points, while Ryan Bruggeman also reached double figures with 10 points. Both Davis and Bruggeman made 4 of 8 shots in the game.
•SMSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 72.
•SMSU is shooting 52 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range and 72 percent from the free throw line.
•Weg and Schafer are each are averaging a team-high 16.3 ppg, while Joey Bartlett is averaging a team-high 5.0 rebounds per game.

    ABOUT MICHIGAN TECH
•MTU is 1-1 on the season defeating Lewis (Ill.) on the road last Friday in overtime, 80-75. MTU then dropped a 73-66 game to UW-Parkside.
•Bryan Heath is averaging 25.5 ppg with seven 3-pointers to lead the Huskies.
•Tommy Lucca is scoring 15.5 ppg with five 3-pointers.
•MTU is shooting 36 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free throw line.
•MTU is scoring 73 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74 per game.

    ABOUT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
•NMU is 1-1 on the season defeating UW-Parkside 97-75 last Friday, before suffering an 87-83 loss at Lewis (Ill.).
•NMU will host MSU Moorhead on Friday night.
•Naba Echols is averaging 22 ppg with five 3-pointers to lead the Huskies.
•Will Carius is scoring 20 ppg with a team-high nine 3-pointers.
•NMU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 46 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the free throw line.
•NMU is scoring 90 points per game, while opponents are averaging 81 per game.
•NMU was picked to finish sixth in the North Division of the GLIAC.

    BARTLETT REACHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
•Senior Joey Bartlett became the 20th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points in SMSU's win over Emporia State on Nov. 13.
•Bartlett has scored 1,009 points in 91 career games ranking 19th in team scoring history.

    JOEY BARTLETT NOTES
•Averaging 10.7 ppg and 5.0 rpg. Ranked second on the team in both categories last season.
•Reached 1,000 career point mark versus Emporia State on Nov. 13.
•Second on the team in scoring last season with 11.8 ppg.
•Older brother of teammate Kolin.

    KOLIN BARTLETT NOTES
•Played in five games last season.
•Currently out with an injury.
•Younger brother of teammate Joey.

    RYAN BRUGGEMAN NOTES
•Has started three games and leads the team with 14 assists.
•Averaging 9.7 ppg.
•Started all 28 games last season averaging 10.5 ppg.
•Led team with 126 assists and with 49 steals last season.

    KJ DAVIS NOTES
•First season with SMSU.
•Has started three games and is averaging 14 ppg.
•Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Emporia State.
•Has made three 3-pointers.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES
•Has started three games and is averaging 6.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Finished second in the NSIC in field goal pct. last season.  •Shot 64.7 percent from the field overall last season. •Scored a career-high 19 points on 9 of 10 shooting vs. Minot State (12/12).

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES
•Has played in three games this season.
•Averaging 6.3 ppg and 1.3 rpg.
•Played in all 27 games with 14 starts last season.
•Averaged 3.1 ppg and 2.2 rpg last season.
•Scored season-high nine points vs. Sioux Falls (12/19).
•Only true freshman to play last season.

    JAKE MAIERS NOTES
•Played in four games and scored four points last season.
•Currently out with an injury.

    TURNER MOEN NOTES
•Has started three games.
•Played in 27 games with 13 starts last season.
•Averaged 5.7 ppg and 3.3 rpg last season.

    DREW OSMUNDSON NOTES
•Has played in three games averaging 1.3 ppg.
•Has recorded five assists.
•Played in 16 games last season averaging 2.8 ppg.

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in three games this season.
•Scored a season-high 21 points vs. Fort Hays State.
•Scored 19 points at Northern State.
•Averaging 16.3 ppg with a team-high eight 3-pointers.
•Played in all 28 games with two starts last season.
•Led team with 57 3-pointers last season.
•Scored career-high 23 points last season at Minnesota Duluth with a career-high six 3-pointers.

    MITCH WEG NOTES
•Ranks first in team history shooting 58 percent from the field.
•Has started three games this season.
•Averaging 16.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg.
•Scored season-high 20 points at Northern State.
•Shooting 78 percent from the field.
•Started all 28 games last season.
•Named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2015-16.  
•Led team in both scoring (12.5) and rebounding (7.2)  last season.

    MUSTANGS REACH 100 AND THEN SOME
•Southwest Minnesota State reached 100 points in two games last season.
•SMSU beat Northern State, 111-105 in overtime and defeating Minnesota Crookston 100-68.
•SMSU is 35-8 all-time when scoring 100 points in a game.

    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 once this season.
•Senior Joey Bartlett leads all current players having reached the 20-point mark 10 times. Senior Mitch Weg has reached the mark five times (once this season), sophomore Ryan Bruggeman has done it three times, sophomore Taylor Schafer has done it three times (once this season), while junior Turner Moen scored 20 or more points twice.

20-Point Games - ACTIVE Players
    28    Joey Bartlett    Sioux Falls, 12/20/14
    27    Joey Bartlett    Fort Hays State, 11/14/15
    26    Joey Bartlett    East Central, 11/14/14
    25    Joey Bartlett    Augustana, 2/12/16
    25    Turner Moen    Wayne State, 2/14/15
    24    Joey Bartlett    Northern State, 1/16/15
    24    Joey Bartlett    U-Mary, 12/12/14
    23    Ryan Bruggeman    Bemidji State, 2/5/16
    23    Taylor Schafer    Minnesota Duluth, 1/30/16
    23    Mitch Weg    Winona State, 1/10/15
    22    Ryan Bruggeman    Northern State, 2/24/16
    22    Ryan Bruggeman    Northern State, 11/19/15
    22    Joey Bartlett    Concordia-St. Paul, 1/24/15
    22    Mitch Weg    Minot State, 12/13/14
    21    Taylor Schafer    Fort Hays State, 11/12/16
    21    Mitch Weg    Bemidji State, 2/5/16
    21    Mitch Weg    Northern State, 11/19/15
    21    Joey Bartlett    Minnesota State, 1/23/15
    21    Turner Moen    Jamestown, 11/21/14
    20    Mitch Weg    Northern State, 11/15/16    
    20    Joey Bartlett    Upper Iowa, 1/9/15
    20    Joey Bartlett    Northern State, 1/3/14
Bold indicates 2016-17 season





    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU finished 8-4 at home last season and is a combined 89-34 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•The Mustangs, 3-0 in road/neutral site games this season, finished 5-11 in road/neutral site games last season and are a combined 47-67 in 114 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 2016-17:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    0-0    -    -    -    -    -    -    
Away    3-0    .521    .381    .722    25.3    81.3    11.3     

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2016-17 season marks the 21st year 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 196-76 (.720) in 272 all-time games with just two losing seasons.
•SMSU has recorded double figure home victories in eight of the past 11 seasons.

SMSU in the R/A Facility
    Year    Overall    NSIC    Non
    1996-97    6-4    3-2    3-2    
    1997-98    8-5    4-2    4-3    
    1998-99    10-3    5-1    5-2    
    1999-00    12-3    7-2    5-1    
    2000-01    12-1    9-0    3-1    
    2001-02    12-2    7-2    5-0    
    2002-03    9-5    7-2    2-3
    2003-04    9-5    5-3    4-2    
    2004-05    6-8    3-4    3-4
    2005-06    10-5    3-4    7-1    
    2006-07    13-2    8-1    5-1
    2007-08    12-2    7-2    5-0
    2008-09    13-3    8-2    5-1
    2009-10    12-3    7-3    5-0
    2010-11    10-3    8-3    2-0
    2011-12    10-2    9-2    1-0
    2012-13    7-4    7-4    0-0
    2013-14    11-4    8-3    3-1
    2014-15    6-8    4-7    2-1
    2015-16    8-4    7-4    1-0
    2016-17    0-0    0-0    0-0    
    Totals    196-76     126-53    70-23

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU finished 3-5 versus teams from the NSIC North Division during the conference play last season.
•SMSU is 19-13 versus NSIC North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced during the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished 5-3 versus teams North teams in conference play in 2014-15, recorded a 5-3 mark in 2013-14, and finished 6-2 in 2012-13.
•The NSIC South holds a 161-95 advantage over NSIC North teams in regular season play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, including 37-27 last season.
•In 2014-15, 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.

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 524 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 last season.
•SMSU has struggled in overtime games in recent seasons, going 4-11 since 2006-07.
•SMSU is 6-6 all-time in double overtime games and 0-2 in triple overtime games.

    WEG NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
•SMSU senior forward Mitch Weg was the only SMSU player to earn  NSIC South Division Player of the Week honors last season when he earned the award on Nov. 23, 2015.
•Weg was the first SMSU player to earn the conference weekly award since the 2012-13 season.

    COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
•Senior Mitch Weg was named to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 team last season.
•Weg was one of just five student-athletes named to the first team.
•He was the first SMSU player to earn first team CoSIDA Academic All-District honors since Nick Smith in 2014.

    2016-17 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish eighth overall and fifth in the South Division in the annual 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll released in October.
•Minnesota State was chosen as the overall preseason favorite earning 220 points, including all 11 first-place votes and was also picked to win the South Division.
•SMSU senior Mitch Weg was named a "Player to Watch"

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•This year marks the 48th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 327-375 in 702 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 23 times in 47 seasons.
•SMSU has finished in the top half of the NSIC standings in 14 of the last 19 seasons since 1997-98.

    MUSTANG HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State is in its 50th season of men's basketball in 2016-17.
•SMSU has played 1,350 games compiling an all-time record of 603-747.
•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 18 years.