THE GAMES
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (9-1, 4-1 NSIC) hits the road for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference battle on Saturday, Dec. 17, facing the University of Sioux Falls (5-7, 2-3 NSIC) with tip-off set for 6 p.m. at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. SMSU, off to its best start in team history, defeated USF 74-72, in the NSIC opener for both teams on Nov. 29 in Marshall.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Saturday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.
•The game can also be viewed online at SMSUmustangs.com.

    BEST START IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU opened the season 6-0, its best start in school history.
•This year's 9-1 record is the best start to a season after 10 games in school history.  
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. SIOUX FALLS
•Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls meet for the 28th time on Saturday with SMSU leading 17-10.
•SMSU won 74-72 earlier this season on Nov. 29 in Marshall.
•The teams first met during the 1968-69 season.
•SMSU is 3-10 in games played at USF and has not won at USF (four games) since USF joined the NSIC prior to the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU's last win at USF came on Dec. 30, 2008 (68-67).
•SMSU leads the series 5-4 since USF joined the NSIC prior to the 2012-13 season.
 •SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 5-4 all-time versus USF.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 17.

    LAST TIME VERSUS SIOUX FALLS
•SMSU defeated USF, 74-72, to open NSIC play on Nov. 30 in Marshall with USF's Mack Johnson missing a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
•Ryan Bruggeman led SMSU with 15 points with three 3-pointers.
•Carter Kirk had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
•SMSU shot a season-low 38 percent in the game, including 21 percent in the first half.
•SMSU held a 44-30 rebound advantage and outscored USF 15-7 in second chance points.
•Drew Guebert led the Cougars with 26 points with four 3-pointers.
•The game box score is located on page 18.
 
    GAME DAY STORYLINES
•SMSU extended its winning streak to three straight with a pair of home victories last weekend, 94-76, versus Minnesota Duluth and 84-82 versus St. Cloud State.
•SMSU scored a season-high 94 points and made a season-high 13 3-pointers in the win over UMD.
•SMSU dished out a season-high 21 assists versus UMD.
•Mitch Weg is eight points shy of becoming the 21st player in program history to score 1,000 career points.
•Mitch Weg ranks tied for 10th in team history with 236 free throws made.
•Carter Kirk tied a school single-game record with six blocked shots versus UMD. He tied the mark along with Mark Ornatek (1/13/79) and Dru Larson (2/21/90).
•SMSU was outrebounded in both games.
•Michael Lee scored 11 second half points in the win over SCSU on Saturday night.
•Turner Moen recorded a career-high seven assists versus UMD on Friday.
•Joey Bartlett scored a season-high 26 points versus UMD on Friday.
•SMSU shot a season-low 38 percent in the win versus Sioux Falls on Nov. 30.
•SMSU opponents made 10 or more 3-pointers 11 times last season and averaged 8.8 per game. In 10 games this season, opponents are averaging 6.1 per game and have reached double figures just twice.

    NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU in the latest NCAA statistics (Dec. 11) can be found on page 16.
•SMSU ranks ninth in free throw pct.
•SMSU ranks 44th in free throws made.
•SMSU ranks 61st in field goal pct.
•SMSU ranks 72nd in scoring margin.
•SMSU ranks 73rd in rebound margin.
•SMSU ranks 81st in steals.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks 79th in total assists.
•Carter Kirk ranks 96th in total blocks.

    NSIC STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU in this week's NSIC statistics (NSIC games only) can be found on pages 14-15.
•SMSU ranks first in scoring defense.
•SMSU ranks seventh in scoring offense.
•SMSU ranks third in free throw pct. and field goal pct. defense.
•SMSU ranks 11th in scoring offense.
•Carter Kirk ranks first in blocked shots and second in rebounding.
•Mitch Weg ranks sixth in rebounding.

    SMSU SIXTH IN D2SIDA REGIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked fourth for in this week's D2SIDA Central Region poll released on Monday.
•The D2SIDA poll is in its third year of existence.
•Each of the eight regions has six representatives from D2SIDA that coordinate the regional committee, with a regional poll that will be released every Monday during the regular season.
•The D2SIDA weekly rankings are independent of the official NCAA Regional Rankings that will be released closer to the end of the season.
D2SIDA Central Region Poll (Dec. 12)
    Rk.    (First-Place Votes)                   W-L    Pts.    Prev.
    1.    Northwest Missouri State (6)    9-0    60    1
    2.    MSU Moorhead    9-1    51    4
    3.    Augustana    8-2    48    2
    4.    Southwest Minnesota State    9-1    41    5
    5.    Arkansas-Monticello    7-0    33    7
    6.    Missouri Southern    8-2    32    9
    7.    Washburn    8-2    25    3
    8.    Harding    6-2    17    10
    T9.    Nebraska Kearney    8-3    7    NR
    T9.    Upper Iowa    7-3    7    NR

    SMSU RECEIVES VOTES IN NABC TOP 25
•SMSU received points in this week's NABC Top 25 poll on Dec. 13.
•SMSU also received votes in the NABC Top 25 poll on both Nov. 22 and Nov. 29.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler is in his eighth season as head coach and has compiled an overall record of 117-96.
•The 117 victories ranks second all-time in team history.
•Bigler has a record of 81-74 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 19.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU is 9-1 overall, 4-1 NSIC, following two wins last weekend at the R/A Facility.
•Joey Bartlett scored a season-high 26 points with five 3-pointers in the victory versus UMD last Friday.
•Mitch Weg scored off an offensive rebound as time expired to lift SMSU to the victory over SCSU on Saturday.
•Taylor Schafer led SMSU with 15 points on Saturday night.
•SMSU has used a balanced scoring attack this season with six players averaging nine or more points per game.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks third in scoring at 11.6 ppg and has dished out a team-high 42 assists.
•Taylor Schafer is scoring a team-high 12.9 ppg with 20 3-pointers.
•Carter Kirk is averaging a team-high 7.4 rpg, while Mitch Weg is averaging 6.3 rpg and 10.5 ppg.  
•SMSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 72.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range and 79 percent from the free throw line.

    ABOUT SIOUX FALLS
•USF is 5-7 overall, 2-3 NSIC, following a home win versus Minnesota Duluth on Saturday night.
•USF will host Mount Marty on Tuesday night.
•USF is 3-4 at home this season.
•Drew Guebert is scoring 17.8 ppg with 30 3-pointers and averaging 6.6 rpg to pace the Cougars.
•Mack Johnson is averaging 13.8 ppg with 21 3-pointers.
•Clint Thomas is scoring 11.3 ppg and has a team-high 36 3-pointers.
•USF is shooting 46 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 70 percent from the free throw line.
•USF is scoring 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 per game.
•Head coach Chris Johnson is in his ninth season with a record of 146-112.

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU is 2-0 versus teams from the NSIC North Division in conference games. SMSU beat Northern State in a non-conference game on Nov. 15.
•SMSU is 21-13 versus NSIC North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced during the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished 3-5 versus North teams in 2015-16, 5-3 in 2014-15, recorded a 5-3 mark in 2013-14, and finished 6-2 in 2012-13.
•The NSIC South holds a 166-98 advantage over NSIC North teams in regular season play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, including 5-3 this season.
•In 2015-16, the South led the North 37-27, in 2014-15, the South finished 35-29, in 2013-14, the South finished 42-22, while in 2012-13, the South went 47-17.

    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, 2016.
•Bartlett has scored 1,095 points in 98 career games ranking 15th in team scoring history.

    WEG CLOSING IN ON 1,000 POINTS
•Senior Mitch Weg is closing in on becoming the next member of the 1,000 point club in team history.
•Weg has scored 992 points in 98 games and is currently 21st in team history. The all-time scoring list is located on page 3.

    JOEY BARTLETT NOTES
•Averaging 11.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg.
•Has made three starts this season.
•Ranks ninth in team history with 145 3-pointers.
•Reached 1,000 career point mark vs. Emporia State on Nov. 13.
•Scored season-high 26 points vs. Minnesota Duluth.
•Older brother of teammate Kolin.
SMSU Career 3-Point Field Goals
    1.     305    Matt Fletcher (118 games) - 2004-08
    2.     268    Adam Tesch (112 games) - 1998-02
    3.     253      Jordan Miller (115 games) - 2009-13
    4.    210    Travis Krenske (86 games) - 2005-08
    5.    173    Jacob Fahl (120 games) - 1999-03
    6.    162    Brian Wiersma (109 games) - 1999-03
        162    Chad Ostermann (101 games) - 1993-97
        162    Andre Beasley (72 games) - 1990-93
    9.     145    Joey Bartlett (98 games) - 2013-17

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

    RYAN BRUGGEMAN NOTES
•Has started 10 games and leads the team with 42 assists.
•Averaging 11.6 ppg, ranking third on the team.
•First career double-double at Northern Michigan on Nov. 19 with 11 points and 10 assists.
•Ranks eighth in team history with 82.4 career free throw pct.
•Led team with 126 assists last season.

    KJ DAVIS NOTES
•First season with SMSU.
•Has started 10 games and is averaging 10.7 ppg, ranking fourth on the team.
•Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Emporia State.
•Has made nine 3-pointers ranking fourth on the team.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES
•Has started seven games and is averaging 9.7 ppg and a team-leading 7.4 rpg.
•Missed the Upper Iowa game with an injury.
•Has three double-doubles this season.
•Ranks fourth in team history with career 55.5 field goal pct.  
•Finished second in the NSIC in field goal pct. last season.  

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES
•Has played in 10 games this season.
•Averaging 8.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
•Second on the team with 18 3-pointers.
•Season-high 14 points at Winona State.
•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 10 games.
•Averaging 4.3 ppg and 3.7 rpg.
•Season-high 13 points at Winona State.
•Career-high seven assists vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/9/16)
•Played in 27 games with 13 starts last season.

    DREW OSMUNDSON NOTES
•Has played in 10 games.
•Scored a season-high six points vs. Sioux Falls.
•Has recorded 16 assists.
•Played in 16 games last season averaging 2.8 ppg.



    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in 10 games.
•Scored a season-high 22 points at Northern Michigan.
•Leads team in scoring at 12.9 ppg.
•Team-high 20 3-pointers.
•Has scored 19 or more points in three games.
•Ranks third in team history with 42.5 career 3-point pct.
•Led team with 57 3-pointers last season.

    MITCH WEG NOTES
•Ranks first in team history shooting 58.5 percent (378 of 646) from the field.
•Ranks eighth in team history with 645 rebounds.
•Ranks 10th in team history with 236 free throws made.
•Has started 10 games.
•Averaging 10.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg, ranking second on the team in rebounding and fifth in scoring.
•Shooting 67 percent from the field.
•Scored season-high 20 points at Northern State.
•Named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2015-16.  
•Led team in both scoring (12.5) and rebounding (7.2)  last season.
SMSU Career Rebounds
    1.     848         Frank Belmont - 1971-75
    2.     733         Ross DeMasi  - 2005-09
    3.     717         Mike Tobin  - 1982-86
    4.     713         Mike Lang  - 1968-72
    5.     712         Nick Smith  - 2010-14
        712         Scott Roehl  - 2007-11
    7.     648         Scott Koenen - 1998-01
    8.     645         Mitch Weg - 2013-17

    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 six current players who have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers, including six this season.
•Senior Joey Bartlett leads all current players having reached the 20-point mark 12 times (twice this season). 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 four times (twice this season), junior Carter Kirk has done it 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    Minnesota Duluth, 12/9/16
    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    Taylor Schafer    Northern Michigan, 11/19/16
    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    Joey Bartlett    Upper Iowa, 12/2/16
    20    Carter Kirk    Michigan Tech, 11/18/16
    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 is 3-0 at home this season and 92-34 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•The Mustangs, 6-1 in road/neutral site games this season, are a combined 60-68 in 118 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    3-0    .449    .446    .833    36.7    84.0    11.0    
Away    6-1    .496    .353    .776    34.7    79.4    13.0    

    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.
•SMSU has a record of 199-76 (.724) in 275 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    3-0    3-0    0-0    
    Totals    199-76     129-53    70-23

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 531 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.

    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 331-376 in 707 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 1,357 games compiling an all-time record of 609-748.
•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.