THE GAMES
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (16-3, 11-3 NSIC), which received votes in both the NABC and D2SIDA Top 25 polls this week and is tied for first place in the NSIC South Division standings, continues a four-game homestand at the R/A Facility this Friday and Saturday versus two of the top teams in the NSIC standings. On Friday night, SMSU will take on NSIC-leading and 16th/21st ranked MSU Moorhead (17-3, 12-2 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 8 p.m., while on Saturday, SMSU faces Northern State University (14-6, 10-4 NSIC) for the annual "Hawaiian Night" game starting at 7 p.m.
•MSU Moorhead holds a one-game lead over both SMSU and Upper Iowa in the overall NSIC standings, while NSU is currently tied for fourth place in the NSIC.
•Both MSUM (third) and NSU (10th) are ranked in this week's D2SIDA Central Region Top 10. SMSU is ranked fourth.
•MSUM and NSU are a combined 19-2 on the road this season.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games 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 with a program best 6-0 record.
•SMSU's 16-3 record is the best after 19 games in school history.  
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. MSU MOORHEAD
•Southwest Minnesota State and MSU Moorhead meet for the 101st time with MSUM leading 57-43.
•The teams first met during the 1968-69 season.
•MSUM leads 24-23 all-time in games at Marshall.
•MSUM has won the last two games, including 115-82 last season in Moorhead.
•SMSU's last win came on Jan. 4, 2014, in Marshall, 70-68.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 4-7 all-time versus MSUM.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VS. NORTHERN STATE
•Southwest Minnesota State and Northern State meet for the 91st time on Saturday with NSU leading 60-30.
•NSU leads 23-19 all-time in games played in Marshall, but SMSU has won five of the last six played in the R/A Facility.
•SMSU won earlier this season in Aberdeen, 83-82, in a non-conference game played on Nov. 15.
•NSU has won four the last six games overall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 7-5 all-time versus Northern State.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 18.

    LAST TIME VERSUS NORTHERN STATE
•SMSU defeated NSU, 83-82, earlier this season in Aberdeen, S.D., in a non-conference game on Nov. 15.
•Mitch Weg had 20 points on 9 of 10 shooting for SMSU.
•SMSU shot 59 percent from the field.
•The game box score is located on page 19.

    GAME DAY STORYLINES
•SMSU's 16 victories is its highest win total since recording 19 during the 2013-14 season.
•SMSU ranks first in the NSIC (conference games only) in steals and second in both scoring defense (74.2) and field goal pct. defense (44.0).
•SMSU's 15 steals in the win over Minnesota State last Saturday was its highest since total since Jan. 20, 2012, at Minnesota Duluth (24).
•SMSU's 58 points in the win over MSU was the first time SMSU scored less than 73 points all season.
•SMSU's 25-point win over CSP on Friday was its largest margin of victory this season.
•Joey Bartlett needs 28 points to pass Charlie Taylor and move into sole possession of ninth place on the SMSU all-time scoring list. Bartlett has scored 1,190 in 107 games.  
•Bartlett needs six 3-pointers to move into sole possession of sixth place in team history.
•Mitch Weg last Saturday became just the seventh player in team history to record 700 or more rebounds in a career. He needs nine rebounds to move into sole possession of fourth all-time and 13 rebounds to move into third all-time.
•SMSU is 14-1 when committing 15 or fewer turnovers, but 2-2 when committing more than 15.
•SMSU is 9-2 in games decided by four or less points.
•SMSU opponents made 10 or more 3-pointers in 11 games  last season and averaged 8.8 per game. In 19 games this season, opponents are averaging 6.9 per game and have reached double figures four times.
•SMSU has recorded a pair of six-game winning streaks this season with both winning streaks ending with losses to Upper Iowa.

    NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU and Mustang individuals in the latest NCAA statistics (Jan. 23) can be found on page 16.
•SMSU ranks among the top 51 in three categories.
•SMSU ranks 17th in won-lost pct.
•SMSU ranks 36th in field goal pct.
•SMSU ranks 51st in rebound margin.

    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 steals.
•SMSU ranks second in rebound margin.
•SMSU ranks second in field goal pct. defense.
•SMSU ranks second in scoring defense.
•SMSU ranks sixth in scoring offense.
•SMSU ranks seventh in field goal pct.
•Carter Kirk ranks second in field goal pct., third in rebounding and sixth in blocked shots.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks fourth in steals, seventh in assists and 11th in free throw pct.
•Mitch Weg ranks fifth in field goal pct. and seventh in rebounding.
•Joey Bartlett ranks fourth in free throw pct.

    SMSU IN THE NABC NATIONAL POLL
•SMSU has received votes the past three polls.
•SMSU was ranked No. 22 in the Jan. 3 poll.
•SMSU debuted at No. 25 on Dec. 20.
•SMSU has been ranked 20 times all-time in the NABC poll.

    SMSU RANKED EARLIER IN D2SIDA NATIONAL POLL
•SMSU received votes in the Jan. 24 poll.
•SMSU was ranked No. 16 in the Jan. 10 poll.
•The poll is voted on by Sports Information Directors.
•This season is the first time in the three-year existence of the poll SMSU has been ranked.

    SMSU FOURTH IN D2SIDA REGIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked fourth in the latest D2SIDA Central Region poll released on Monday, Jan. 23.
•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 (Jan. 16)
    Rank    (First-Place Votes)                   W-L    Pts.    Prev.
    1    Northwest Missouri State (6)    18-0    60    1
    2    Arkansas-Monticello    14-1    52    2
    3    MSU Moorhead    17-3    50    3
    4    Southwest Minnesota State    16-3    42    4
    5    Upper Iowa    14-6    33    8
    6    Augustana    14-6    26    5
    7    East Central    10-4    23    9
    8    Central Missouri    12-5    16    NR
    9    Arkansas Tech    11-4    11    RV
    10    Northern State    14-6    7    RV

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler is in his eighth season as head coach and has compiled an overall record of 124-98.
•The 124 victories ranks second in team history.
•Bigler has a record of 89-77 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.


    ROAD WARRIORS
•SMSU is 8-2 in "true" road games this season, recording its most road victories since the 2008-09 team won 11.
•The eight road wins is tied for the fourth highest in team history.
•The 2008-09 team won 11 road games, the 2000-01 team won 10 games, the 1995-96 team won nine games, while the 2001-02 squad won eight games.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU is 16-3 overall, 11-3 NSIC, following home victories last weekend over Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State.
•Carter Kirk recorded his team-leading sixth double-double of the season in the win over CSP with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
•SMSU has five players averaging double figures in scoring.
•Ryan Bruggeman leads the team in scoring at 12.6 ppg and has dished out a team-high 79 assists.
•Taylor Schafer is scoring 12 ppg with a team-high 31 3-pointers.
•Carter Kirk is averaging a team-high 8.2 rpg and scoring 10.9 ppg
•SMSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 73.
•SMSU is shooting 49 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 73 percent from the free throw line.

    ABOUT MSU MOORHEAD
•MSUM is 17-3 overall, 12-2 NSIC, and have won seven straight games since losing at home to Minnesota State on Dec. 30.
•MSUM is ranked No. 16 in D2SIDA poll and No. 21 in NABC poll.
•MSUM is 10-1 in road games this season.
•Aaron Lien is scoring a team-high 18.5 ppg and shooting 58 percent from the field.
•Ayob Ayob is averaging 17 ppg and a team-high 5.4 rpg, while also connecting on a team-leading 54 3-pointers.
•Tanner Kretchman is scoring 16.1 ppg with a team-high 124 assists and 51 3-pointers. He ranks first in Division II in assist turnover ratio (4.2) and ninth in total assists.
•MSUM is shooting 51 percent from the field (9th, Division II), 42 percent from 3-point range (5th, Division II) and 77 percent from the free throw line.
•MSUM ranks first in Division II committing just 8.8 turnovers per game.
•MSUM is scoring 89 points per game, while opponents are averaging 79 per game.
•Chad Walthall is in his seventh season as head coach with a record 158-54. MSUM has won 30 or more games in each of the last two seasons. He was head coach at Loras College for seven seasons (2000-07).

    ABOUT NORTHERN STATE
•Northern State is 14-6 overall, 10-4 NSIC, and enter the weekend having won six of its last seven games.
•NSU plays at Sioux Falls on Friday night.
•NSU is 9-1 on the road this season.
•Mack Arvidson is averaging 16.5 ppg with 70 3-pointers, which ranks sixth in Division II.
•Logan Doyle is scoring 14.8 ppg, shooting 60 percent from the field and averaging a team-high 8.9 rpg.
•NSU is shooting 49 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 76 percent from the free throw line.
•NSU is scoring 85 points per game, while opponents are averaging 79 per game.
•NSU ranks second in Division II in free throws made and 13th in rebound margin.
•Paul Sather is in his seventh season as head coach with a record 118-76. He was head coach at Black Hills State from 2005-10, recording a 94-62 record.

    WIN VERSUS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAM
•SMSU's win over No. 16 Augustana (D2SIDA) on Dec. 30 was its first over a nationally ranked team since defeating No. 16 Winona State on Jan. 17, 2014.

    BARTLETT AND WEG REACH 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.
•Senior Mitch Weg became the 21st member of the 1,000 point club in a victory at Augustana on Dec. 30, 2016.
•The all-time scoring list is located on page 3.

    JOEY BARTLETT NOTES
•Averaging 11.7 ppg and 5.1 rpg.
•Ranks second on the team with 27 3-pointers.
•Ranks ninth in team history with 157 3-pointers.
•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.     157    Joey Bartlett (107 games) - 2013-17

    KOLIN BARTLETT NOTES
•Has played in just one game this season due to an injury.
•Has played in six career games.
•Younger brother of teammate Joey.

    RYAN BRUGGEMAN NOTES
•Has started 19 games and leads the team with 79 assists.
•Averaging 12.6 ppg, ranking first on the team.
•Career-high 27 points at Augustana on Dec. 30.
•Scored 25 points in victory at Wayne State on Dec. 31.
•Ranks fourth in team history averaging 4.4 assists per game.
•Ranks eighth in team history with an 81.1 career free throw pct.
•Led team with 126 assists last season.

    KJ DAVIS NOTES
•First season with SMSU.
•Has started 19 games and is averaging 10 ppg, ranking fifth on the team.
•Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Emporia State (11/13/16).
•Has made 17 3-pointers ranking fourth on the team.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES
•Has started 16 games and is averaging 10.9 ppg and a team-leading 8.2 rpg.
•Has a team-high six double-doubles this season.
•Scored career-high 20 points at Michigan Tech (11/18/16).
•Ranks second in team history with career 57.6 field goal pct.  
•Finished second in the NSIC in field goal pct. last season.  

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES
•Has played in 17 games this season.
•Averaging 6.6 ppg and 2.7 rpg.
•Third on the team with 26 3-pointers.
•Tied a career-high 14 points vs. Concordia (1/20/17).

    JAKE MAIERS NOTES
•Played in four career games and scored four points.
•Has not played this season due to an injury.






    TURNER MOEN NOTES
•Has started 19 games.
•Averaging 5.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg.
•Ranks second on the team with 47 assists.
•Season-high 13 points at Winona State.
•Career-high eight assists vs. Concordia (1/20/17).

    DREW OSMUNDSON NOTES
•Has played in 19 games averaging 2.1 ppg.
•Scored a season-high six points twice versus Sioux Falls.
•Has recorded 42 assists ranking third on the team.

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in 19 games.
•Scored a season-high 22 points at Northern Michigan and at Bemidji State.
•Second on the team in scoring at 12 ppg.
•Has made a team-high 31 3-pointers.
•Has scored 19 or more points in five games.
•Led team with 57 3-pointers last season.

    MITCH WEG NOTES
•Has started 19 games this season.
•Averaging 9.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg, ranking second on the team in rebounding and sixth in scoring.
•Shooting team-high 63.8 percent from the field.
•Scored season-high 20 points at Northern State.
•Ranks first in team history shooting 58.6 percent (411 of 701) from the field.
•Ranks seventh in team history with 705 rebounds.
•Ranks seventh in team history with 250 free throws made.
•Named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2015-16.  
•Led team in both scoring and rebounding 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.     705         Mitch Weg - 2013-17

    BRUGGEMAN EARNS NSIC WEEKLY AWARD
•Sophomore Ryan Bruggeman was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Jan. 3.
•Bruggeman averaged 26 points on 57 percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in road victories over Augustana University (78-76) and Wayne State College (85-73).

    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES  
•Southwest Minnesota State has six players who have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers, including 11 this season.
•Senior Joey Bartlett leads all current players having reached the 20-point mark 13 times (three times this season).
20-Point Games - THIS SEASON
    27    Ryan Bruggeman    Augustana, 12/30/16
    26    Joey Bartlett    Minnesota Duluth, 12/9/16
    25    Ryan Bruggeman    Wayne State, 12/31/16
    24    Joey Bartlett    Upper Iowa, 1/7/17        
    22    Taylor Schafer    Bemidji State, 1/14/17
    22    Taylor Schafer    Northern Michigan, 11/19/16
    21    Taylor Schafer    Fort Hays State, 11/12/16
    20    Taylor Schafer    Winona State, 1/6/17
    20    Joey Bartlett    Upper Iowa, 12/2/16
    20    Carter Kirk    Michigan Tech, 11/18/16
    20    Mitch Weg    Northern State, 11/15/16    

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU is 6-1 at home this season and 95-35 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•The Mustangs, 10-2 in road/neutral site games this season, are a combined 64-69 in 123 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    6-1    .470    .370    .711    39.0    80.9    11.6        
Away    10-2    .502    .344    .746    35.3    80.8    12.8         
    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 202-77 (.724) in 279 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    6-1    6-1    0-0    
    Totals    202-77     132-54    70-23

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 540 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.

    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.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 43-38 all-time in overtime games.
•SMSU is 0-1 this season, losing 99-96 to Upper Iowa (1/7/17).
•SMSU has struggled in overtime games in recent seasons, going 4-12 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 3-1 versus teams from the NSIC North Division in conference games this season. (SMSU beat Northern State in a non-conference game on Nov. 15).
•SMSU is 22-14 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 179-109 advantage over NSIC North teams in regular season play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, including 18-14 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 337-377 in 714 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 1,364 games compiling an all-time record of 615-749.
•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.