THE GAMES
•The No. 19/22 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (12-1, 7-1 NSIC) returns home this Friday and Saturday with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference home games at the R/A Facility. SMSU, which has played 10 of its first 13 games away from home, will face Winona State University (7-5, 4-4 NSIC) on Friday, Jan. 6, starting at 8 p.m., before taking on Upper Iowa University (10-4, 7-1 NSIC) on Saturday, Jan. 7, with tip-off set for 7 p.m.

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

    WIN VERSUS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAM
•SMSU's win over No. 16 Augustana (D2SIDA) last Friday was its first 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 12-1 record is the best start to a season after 13 games in school history.  

    BRUGGEMAN EARNS WEEKLY AWARD
•Sophomore Ryan Bruggeman was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Tuesday.
•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).
•The honor marked the first of Bruggeman's career and the first time a Mustang has won the weekly honor since Mitch Weg on Nov. 23, 2015.
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. WINONA STATE
•Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State meet for the 105th time on Friday with WSU leading 68-36.
•The teams first met during the 1968-69 season.
•SMSU won earlier this season on Dec. 3, 77-61 in Winona.
•WSU is 25-5 in the series since 2004-05.
•WSU leads 27-21 in games played in Marshall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 5-11 all-time versus WSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 17.

    LAST TIME VERSUS WINONA STATE
•SMSU defeated WSU, 77-61, on Dec. 3, earning its first win at Winona State since the 2002-03 season, snapping a 15-game losing streak.
•The game box score is located on page 18.

    SERIES HISTORY VS. UPPER IOWA
•Southwest Minnesota State and Upper Iowa meet for the 26th time on Saturday with SMSU leading 16-7.
•UIU won earlier this season on Dec. 2, 77-75 in Fayette.
•The teams first met during the 1979-80 season.
•SMSU leads 8-3 in games played in Marshall.
•UIU has won five of the last six games overall and three straight in Marshall.
•SMSU's last win in Marshall was on Jan. 25, 2013.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-6 all-time versus UIU.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 19.

    LAST TIME VERSUS UPPER IOWA
•UIU handed SMSU its lone loss of the season on Dec. 2, earning a 77-75 win in Fayette.
•The game box score is located on page 20.

    GAME DAY STORYLINES
•SMSU tied a season-high with its sixth straight win following an 85-73 victory at Wayne State last Saturday.
•The last time SMSU won seven straight games was in 2008-09, when the team won 15 in a row.
•SMSU is 7-1 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 13 games this season, opponents are averaging 6.2 per game and have reached double figures just twice.

    ROAD WARRIORS
•SMSU is 7-1 in "true" road games this season, its most road victories since winning seven in 2013-14.
•The seven road wins is tied for the fifth 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.

    NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU in the latest NCAA statistics (Jan. 2) can be found on page 16.
•SMSU ranks among the top 50 in four categories.
•SMSU ranks 11th in won-lost pct.
•SMSU ranks 34th in free throws made.
•SMSU ranks 37th in free throw pct.
•SMSU ranks 39th in 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 rebound margin.
•SMSU ranks third in scoring defense.
•SMSU ranks fifth in scoring offense.
•Carter Kirk ranks fourth in blocked shots, fifth in rebounding and ninth in field goal pct.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks sixth in steals and 11th in assists.
•Mitch Weg ranks fourth in field goal pct.
•Joey Bartlett ranks sixth in free throw pct. and sixth in blocked shots.

    SMSU RANKED NO. 22 IN NABC NATIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked No. 22 in this week's NABC Top 25 poll.
•SMSU debuted at No. 25 on Dec. 20.
•SMSU has been ranked 20 times all-time in the NABC poll.
•The 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.
•The 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 HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler is in his eighth season as head coach and has compiled an overall record of 120-96.
•The 120 victories ranks second all-time in team history.
•Bigler has a record of 85-75 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 21.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU is 12-1 overall, 7-1 NSIC, following a road wins over Augustana and Wayne State last weekend.
•Ryan Bruggeman scored a career-high 27 points in the win over Augustana, while Mitch Weg added 16 points.
•The victory snapped a 38-game home winning streak for Augie.
•Bruggeman then added 25 points in the win over Wayne State.
•Carter Kirk had is fourth double-double of the season in the win  against WSC with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
•SMSU has five players averaging double figures in scoring.
•Bruggeman leads the team in scoring at 13.8 ppg and has dished out a team-high 52 assists.
•Schafer is scoring a 12 ppg with a team-high 24 3-pointers.
•Kirk is averaging a team-high 7.3 rpg and 9.6 ppg, while Weg is averaging 10.4 rpg and 5.8 ppg.  
•SMSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74.
•SMSU is shooting 49 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range and 76 percent from the free throw line.

    ABOUT WINONA STATE
•WSU is 7-5 overall, 4-4 NSIC, following home wins last weekend over Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State.
•Riley Bambenek is scoring 17.9 ppg with 41 3-pointers and 36 assists to lead the Warriors.
•Kyle Bauman is averaging 14.4 ppg and 6.0 rpg.
•Isaiah Gray is scoring 12.9 ppg with 34 assists.
•WSU is shooting 50 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range and 69 percent from the free throw line.
•WSU is scoring 78 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 per game.
•Todd Eisner is in his second season as head coach with a record 23-18. He recorded 417 career victories as a head coach at Midland (Neb.), Benedictine (Kan.), Bellevue (Neb.) and Viterbo (Wis.) prior to WSU.

    ABOUT UPPER IOWA
•UIU is 10-4 overall, 7-1 NSIC, and have won nine of its last 10 games. UIU is 5-1 in road games this season.
•UIU plays at Sioux Falls on Friday night.
•Jimmy Roth is scoring 13.4 ppg with 37 assists to lead the Peacocks.
•Jordan Hay is scoring 12.1 ppg and averaging a team-high 6.6 rpg.
•Josh Weeber averageds 11.1 ppg with a team-high 33 3-pointers.
•UIU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 67 percent from the free throw line.
•UIU is scoring 79 points per game, while opponents are averaging 77 per game.
•Brooks McKowen, a former SMSU assistant coach, is in his fourth season as head coach with a record 59-48.

    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 11.1 ppg and 5.5 rpg.
•Has made three starts this season.
•Ranks ninth in team history with 146 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.     146    Joey Bartlett (101 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 13 games and leads the team with 52 assists.
•Averaging 13.8 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 eighth in team history with an 81.3 career free throw pct.
•Led team with 126 assists last season.

    KJ DAVIS NOTES
•First season with SMSU.
•Has started 13 games and is averaging 10.9 ppg, ranking fourth on the team.
•Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Emporia State.
•Has made 13 3-pointers ranking fourth on the team.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES
•Has started 10 games and is averaging 9.6 ppg and a team-leading 7.3 rpg.
•Missed the Upper Iowa game with an injury.
•Has four 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 13 games this season.
•Averaging 6.7 ppg and 2.4 rpg.
•Second on the team with 19 3-pointers.
•Season-high 14 points at Winona State.

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

    TURNER MOEN NOTES
•Has started 13 games.
•Averaging 5.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg.
•Season-high 13 points at Winona State.
•Career-high seven assists vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/9/16)

    DREW OSMUNDSON NOTES
•Has played in 13 games.
•Scored a season-high six points twice versus Sioux Falls.
•Has recorded 19 assists ranking third on the team.

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in 13 games.
•Scored a season-high 22 points at Northern Michigan.
•Second on the team in scoring at 12 ppg.
•Team-high 24 3-pointers.
•Has scored 19 or more points in three games.
•Ranks fourth in team history with 42.2 career 3-point pct.
•Led team with 57 3-pointers last season.

    MITCH WEG NOTES
•Ranks first in team history shooting 58.6 percent (391 of 667) from the field.
•Ranks seventh in team history with 658 rebounds.
•Ranks ninth in team history with 240 free throws made.
•Has started 13 games this season.
•Averaging 10.4 ppg and 5.8 rpg, ranking second on the team in rebounding and fifth in scoring.
•Shooting team-high 66 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.     658         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 eight this season.
•Senior Joey Bartlett leads all current players having reached the 20-point mark 12 times (twice this season).

20-Point Games - ACTIVE Players
    28    Joey Bartlett    Sioux Falls, 12/20/14
    27    Ryan Bruggeman    Augustana, 12/30/16
    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    Ryan Bruggeman    Wayne State, 12/31/16
    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, 9-1 in road/neutral site games this season, are a combined 63-68 in 121 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    9-1    .504    .346    .738    35.5    80.6    12.9    

    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 534 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.
•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 172-100 advantage over NSIC North teams in regular season play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, including 11-5 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 334-376 in 710 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 1,360 games compiling an all-time record of 612-748.
•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.