THE GAMES
•The No. 19/25 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (10-1, 5-1 NSIC) continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference road play on Friday, Dec. 30, facing defending national champion No. 16 ranked (D2SIDA) Augustana University (10-2, 5-1 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 8 p.m. at the Sioux Falls Arena. SMSU will then take on Wayne State College (3-8, 2-4 NSIC) on Saturday, Dec. 31, in Wayne, Neb., with game time set for 6 p.m. at Rice Auditorium.

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

    HOME AWAY FROM HOME
•SMSU will be playing its fourth game of the season in the city of Sioux Falls, S.D., on Dec. 30. SMSU has won three times at the Stewart Center on the campus of the University of Sioux Falls, earning two victories on Nov. 12-13 and also on Dec. 17.
•Following the Dec. 30 game, SMSU will have played more games in the city of Sioux Falls than in Marshall.

    WIN VERSUS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAM
•On Friday night, SMSU will be looking for its first win over a nationally ranked team since defeating No. 16 Winona State on Jan. 17, 2014.

    BEST START IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU opened the season with a program best 6-0 record.
•SMSU's 10-1 record is the best start to a season after 11 games in school history.  
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. AUGUSTANA
•Southwest Minnesota State and Augustana meet for the 29th time on Friday with Augustana leading 18-11.
•The teams first met during the 1972-73 season.
•SMSU is 3-10 all-time at Augustana and has won just once in the last eight games at Augustana since Dec. 11, 2004.
•Augustana has scored 92 or more points in the last four games.
•SMSU's last win at Augustana came on Jan. 25, 2014.
•Augustana has won the last four meetings in the series.
 •SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 4-9 all-time versus Augie.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VS. WAYNE STATE
•Southwest Minnesota State and Wayne State meet for the 66th time on Saturday with WSC leading 37-28.
•The teams first met during the 1969-70 season.
•WSC leads 23-7 in games played in Wayne, Neb.
•SMSU has won 10 of the last 11 games since Dec. 3, 2011, with WSC's lone victory coming on Feb. 14, 2015, in Wayne.
•SMSU won both games last season.
 •SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 12-3 all-time versus WSC.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 18.

    GAME DAY STORYLINES
•SMSU extended its winning streak to four straight with an 87-86 road win over Sioux Falls on Dec. 17.
•SMSU is 6-1 in games decided by four or less points.
•The 87 points scored at USF is tied for the second highest total this season.
•Joey Bartlett and Mitch Weg will both be playing in their 100th career game versus Augustana on Friday night.
•SMSU scored a season-high 94 points and made a season-high 13 3-pointers in the win over UMD on Dec. 9.
•Mitch Weg is four points shy of becoming the 21st player in program history to score 1,000 career points.
•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 opponents made 10 or more 3-pointers in 11 games  last season and averaged 8.8 per game. In 11 games this season, opponents are averaging 6.4 per game and have reached double figures just twice.

    NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU in the latest NCAA statistics (Dec. 18) can be found on page 16.
•SMSU ranks fifth in free throw pct.
•SMSU ranks 53rd in free throws made.
•SMSU ranks 55th in rebound margin.
•SMSU ranks 56th in field goal pct.
•SMSU ranks 76th in scoring margin.
•SMSU ranks 81st in 3-point field goal pct.

    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 second in rebound margin.
•SMSU ranks third in free throw pct.
•SMSU ranks third in field goal pct. defense.
•SMSU ranks tied for sixth in scoring offense.
•Carter Kirk ranks third in blocked shots, fifth in rebounding and eighth in field goal pct.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks fifth in steals, eighth in free throw pct. and 14th in assists.
•Mitch Weg ranks ninth in rebounding.
•Joey Bartlett ranks ninth in free throw pct.

    SMSU RANKED NO. 25 IN NABC NATIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked No. 25 in this week's NABC Top 25 poll.
•It's the first time since Dec. 8, 2009, SMSU has been ranked in the poll and 19th week all-time.
•Complete NABC poll is located on page 20.

    SMSU RANKED NO. 19 IN D2SIDA NATIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked No. 19 in the Dec. 20, D2SIDA Top 25 poll.
•The poll is voted on by Sports Information Directors around the country.
•It's the first time in the three-year existence of the poll SMSU has been ranked.
•Complete D2SIDA poll is located on page 21.

    SMSU THIRD IN D2SIDA REGIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked third in the latest D2SIDA Central Region poll released on Monday, Dec. 19.
•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. 19)
    Rank    (First-Place Votes)                   W-L    Pts.    Prev.
    1    Northwest Missouri State (6)    11-0     60    1
    2    Augustana    9-2    53    3
    3    Southwest Minnesota State    10-1    48    4
    4    MSU Moorhead    9-2    39    2
    5    Arkansas-Monticello    7-0    36    5
    6    Missouri Southern    8-2    34    6
    7    Harding    6-2    19    8
    8    Washburn    9-2    17    7
    9    Nebraska-Kearney    9-3    12    T9
    10    Central Missouri    7-2    8    RV

    SMSU RECEIVES VOTES IN NABC TOP 25
•SMSU received points in last week's NABC Top 25 poll on Dec. 13. The next poll is released on Dec. 27.
•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 118-96.
•The 118 victories ranks second all-time in team history.
•Bigler has a record of 82-74 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 10-1 overall, 5-1 NSIC, following a road win over Sioux Falls, 87-86, on Dec. 17.
•Ryan Bruggeman scored the game-winning layup with 10.5 seconds remaining as SMSU rallied from a 12-point first half deficit.
•Taylor Schafer led six SMSU players in double figure scoring with 14 points.
•Joey Bartlett added 13 points and tied a season-high with nine rebounds.
•Bruggeman ranks third on the squad in scoring at 11.5 ppg and has dished out a team-high 46 assists.
•Schafer is scoring a team-high 13 ppg with 22 3-pointers.
•Carter Kirk is averaging a team-high 7.0 rpg and 9.9 ppg, while Mitch Weg is averaging 6.2 rpg and 9.9 ppg.  
•SMSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 79 percent from the free throw line.

    ABOUT AUGUSTANA
•Augustana is 10-2 overall, 5-1 NSIC, following an 81-45 home win over Doane College on Dec. 20.
•Augustana is 5-0 at home this season.
•Jordan Spencer is scoring 15.8 ppg with 25 3-pointers and 94  assists to lead the Vikings
•Adam Beyer is averaging 13.6 ppg with 18 3-pointers.
•Mike Busack is scoring 13.3 ppg and has 22 3-pointers.
•Augie is shooting 50 percent from the field, 44 percent from 3-point range and 74 percent from the free throw line.
•Augie is scoring 85 points per game, while opponents are averaging 69 per game.
•Head coach Tom Billeter is the program's all-time winningest  coach with a record of 257-145 in his 14th season.

    ABOUT WAYNE STATE
•WSC is 4-8 overall, 2-4 NSIC, following a 79-52 home win over William Jewell on Dec. 20.
•WSC will host Sioux Falls on Dec. 30.
•Kendall Jacks is scoring 13.3 ppg and shooting 58 percent from the field to lead the Wildcats.
•Matt Thomas is averaging 11.3 ppg with 15 3-pointers.
•Jordan Cornelius averaged a team-high 5.0 rpg and is averaging 9.3 ppg.
•WSC is shooting 46 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range and 73 percent from the free throw line.
•WSC is scoring 74 points per game, while opponents are averaging 77 per game.
•Head coach Jeff Kaminsky is in his first season at WSC.
•He came to WSC following 11 seasons as head coach at Valley City State (N.D.). He was also head coach for 11 seasons at Wisconsin-Superior.  

    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 1,108 points in 99 career games ranking 13th 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 996 points in 99 games and is currently 21st in team history. The all-time scoring list is located on page 3.

    JOEY BARTLETT NOTES
•Averaging 11.9 ppg and 5.5 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 11 games and leads the team with 46 assists.
•Averaging 11.5 ppg, ranking third on the team.
•First career double-double at Northern Michigan on Nov. 19 with 11 points and 10 assists.
•Ranks seventh in team history with an 82.7 career free throw pct.
•Led team with 126 assists last season.

    KJ DAVIS NOTES
•First season with SMSU.
•Has started 11 games and is averaging 10.9 ppg, ranking fourth on the team.
•Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Emporia State.
•Has made 11 3-pointers ranking fourth on the team.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES
•Has started eight games and is averaging 9.9 ppg and a team-leading 7.0 rpg.
•Missed the Upper Iowa game with an injury.
•Has three double-doubles this season.
•Ranks fourth in team history with career 55.8 field goal pct.  
•Finished second in the NSIC in field goal pct. last season.  

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES
•Has played in 11 games this season.
•Averaging 7.5 ppg and 2.4 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 11 games.
•Averaging 5.0 ppg and 4.0 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 11 games.
•Scored a season-high six points vs. Sioux Falls.
•Has recorded 17 assists ranking third on the team.
•Played in 16 games last season averaging 2.8 ppg.

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in 11 games.
•Scored a season-high 22 points at Northern Michigan.
•Leads team in scoring at 13 ppg.
•Team-high 22 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 58.4 percent (380 of 651) from the field.
•Ranks seventh in team history with 650 rebounds.
•Ranks 10th in team history with 236 free throws made.
•Has started 11 games this season.
•Averaging 9.9 ppg and 6.2 rpg, ranking second on the team in rebounding and fifth in scoring.
•Shooting 65 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.     650         Mitch Weg - 2013-17

    MUSTANGS REACH 100 AND THEN SOME
•Southwest Minnesota State reached 100 points in two games last season, beating 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, 7-1 in road/neutral site games this season, are a combined 61-68 in 119 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    7-1    .498    .358    .776    34.9    80.4    12.4    

    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 532 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.

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU is 2-0 versus teams from the NSIC North Division in conference games this season. SMSU also 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 prior to the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished 3-5 versus North teams in 2015-16, 5-3 in 2014-15, went 5-3 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.

    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 332-376 in 708 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 1,358 games compiling an all-time record of 610-748.
•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.