THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (10-8, 5-7 NSIC) returns to NSIC South Division play this Friday and Saturday with a pair of road games.
•On Friday, Jan. 25, SMSU will take on Winona State University (7-11, 4-8 NSIC) at McCown Gymnasium with tip set for 7:30 p.m.
•SMSU wraps-up the weekend on Saturday, Jan. 26, battling Upper Iowa University (6-12, 3-9 NSIC) with game time slated for 5:30 p.m. at Dorman Gymnasium.
•SMSU begins the weekend in fifth place in the NSIC South standings, while Winona State is sixth and Upper Iowa is tied for seventh.  
 
    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.
•Live stats and video can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VS. WINONA STATE
•SMSU and Winona State meet for the 108th time on Friday with WSU leading 69-38.
•The teams first met during the 1968-69 season.
•SMSU had its three-game winning streak in the series snapped the last time the two teams played with WSU earning a 78-75 victory in Winona on Jan. 5, 2018.
•WSU holds a 26-7 advantage since 2004-05, but SMSU has won five of the last nine meetings.
•SMSU's win at WSU during the 2016-17 season snapped a 15-game losing streak at McCown Gymnasium.
•WSU hold a  40-11 advantage in games played in Winona.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 7-12 all-time versus WSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series are on page 18.
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. UPPER IOWA
•SMSU and Upper Iowa meet for the 28th time on Saturday with SMSU leading 19-8.
•The teams first met during the 1979-80 season.
•SMSU leads 7-4 in games played in Fayette, which includes last season's 86-84 victory on Jan. 6, 2018.
•SMSU has won three straight in the series after UIU had won six of the previous seven games.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 11-7 all-time versus UIU.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 19.

    BRUGGEMAN EARNS NSIC AWARD FOR THIRD TIME
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week for the third time this season on Monday.
•He averaged 31.5 points, 7.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 67 percent (22 of 33) from the field and making all 15 free throws attempted in wins over Minot State and UMary.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU is 10-8 overall, 5-7 NSIC, and is coming off two home victories last weekend over Minot State (83-77) and UMary (79-71) to snap a four-game losing skid.
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman led the Mustangs in scoring in both games with 34 versus MISU and 29 versus UMary.
•Senior guard Taylor Schafer scored a season-high 21 points in the win over Minot State.
•Sophomore forward Braedan Hanson (16) and sophomore guard Nick Dufault (14) both scored in double figures in the win over UMary and both made four 3-pointers.  
•Bruggeman is averaging a team-high 24.5 ppg with a team-high 104 assists and team-high 36 steals. He has scored 30 or more points seven times this season.
•Schafer is averaging 12.5 ppg with a team-leading 45 3-pointers.
•Sophomore forward Kenny Byers is averaging 10.7 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
•Senior forward Steven McNease, who has missed five of the last six games with an injury, leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 per game.
•SMSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, 80 percent from the free throw line and is minus-2.5 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 80 points per game, while opponents are averaging 79 points per game.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman ranks first in the NSIC in steals (2.0), first in scoring (26.8), fourth in assists (5.1) and fourth in free throw pct. (92.0).
•SMSU committed a season-low five turnovers in the win over Minot State on Friday.
•SMSU shot better than 50 percent from the field in both victories last weekend. It was the first time in conference play SMSU shot 50 percent in the game and the first time overall since Nov. 24 versus Crown College.
•SMSU has been outrebounded in each of its last seven games by an average of 9.9 per game. SMSU begins the weekend ranked 15th in the NSIC in rebound margin (-7.2).
 •Senior forward Michael Lee moved up to seventh in team history with 175 career made 3-pointers. He is seven shy of moving into a tie for sixth place with Joey Bartlett (2013-17).
•SMSU lost four straight games earlier this season for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
•SMSU has suffered five home losses this season for the first time since the 2014-15 squad lost eight home games.

    TOUGH SCHEDULE AGAIN THIS SEASON
•SMSU has played a strong schedule through 18 games this season and the latest NCAA statistical numbers back it up.
•SMSU has the 29th toughest schedule in Division II and the third toughest among all NSIC schools through games of Jan. 22.
•SMSU's Division II opponents this season have a combined record of 181-125 (not including results with SMSU).

    BRUGGEMAN SMSU ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman became SMSU's all-time leader scorer during the Mustangs' win at Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 15, breaking the record with a pull-up jumper in the second half.
•He has scored 1,836 career points in 114 games, surpassing the record held by Jacob Fahl (1999-2003), who scored 1,638 points in 120 games.
•Bruggeman also ranks 12th in NSIC history for career points (conference games only) with 1,253 in 78 games. He became SMSU's all-time scoring leader in NSIC games on Jan. 12, surpassing Jordan Miller (2009-13), who scored 1,164 points in 86 games.

    BRUGGEMAN AMONG THE BEST ACTIVE D2 PLAYERS
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman ranks among the top seven for active Division II players in several career categories.
•As of Jan. 21, Bruggeman ranks fourth among all active players in assists (614), sixth in steals (192) and sixth in points scored (1,836).

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 10th season as head coach and has an overall record of 171-118, including 117-91 in conference play.
•The 2012-13 and 2016-17 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to six winning seasons, including one 28-win season, one 25-win season and two 19-win seasons.
•SMSU won NSIC tournament titles in 2012 and 2017 and also won the NSIC South Division championship in both 2016-2017 and 2017-18.  
•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 17.

    SCOUTING WINONA STATE
•WSU (7-11, 4-8 NSIC) has won two of its last three after dropping five in a row. WSU lost at Minnesota Crookston (80-66) last Friday, but rebounded with an 87-59 win at Bemidji State on Saturday.
•Sophomore guard/forward Kevion Taylor is averaging a team-high 15.8 ppg, a team-high 6.2 rpg and also ranks first with 36 3-pointers.   
•Junior guard Caleb Wagner is scoring 11.3 ppg and has connected on 23 3-pointers.
•WSU is shooting 43 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line and is minus-0.4 in rebound margin.
•WSU is averaging 75 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 points per game.
•Head coach Todd Eisner is in his fourth season with a record 53-50. He recorded 417 career victories as a head coach at Midland (Neb.), Benedictine (Kan.), Bellevue (Neb.) and Viterbo (Wis.) prior to WSU.

    SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
•Upper Iowa (6-12, 3-9 NSIC), which plays host Sioux Falls on Friday, begins the weekend having lost six straight, including last weekend at Bemidji State (93-90) and at Minnesota Crookston (100-69).  
•The Peacocks have five players averaging double figures in scoring.
•Junior guard Jareese Williams leads the team averaging 15.2 ppg and has connected on a team-high 51 3-pointers.
•Senior forward Joe Smoldt has drilled 44 3-pointers and ranks second on the team averaging 13.8 ppg.
•Sophomore forward Munachiso Okonkwo averages 12 ppg and a team-high 5.9 rpg.
•UIU is shooting 45 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range, 76 percent from the free throw line and is minus-9.2in rebound margin.
•UIU is scoring 79 points per game, while opponents are averaging 86 per game.
•Head coach Brooks McKowen is in his sixth season at UIU with a record of 80-63. He led the Peacocks to the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
•McKowen was an assistant coach at SMSU from 2011-13.

    2018-19 NSIC STATISTICS
•The weekly NSIC statistics (NSIC games only) are located on page 14-15.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks first in steals (2.0), first in scoring (26.8), fourth in assists (5.1) and fourth in free throw pct. (92.0).
•SMSU ranks first in free throw pct. (80.8), third in 3-point field goal pct. defense (33.6) and fourth in steals (71).

    2018-19 NCAA STATISTICS
•The latest NCAA statistics (through Jan. 22) are located on page 16.
•The Mustangs rank third in free throw pct., 17th in turnovers per game and 23rd in 3-point field goal pct.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks third in field goals made, sixth in scoring, 10th in free throws made, 16th in total assists, 28th in assists per game and 34th in total steals.  

    BRUGGEMAN EARNS NSIC WEEKLY AWARD THREE TIMES
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman has been named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week three times this season (Dec. 11, Jan. 3, Jan. 21) and has earned the award five times in his career.

    BRUGGEMAN IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK
•Ryan Bruggeman holds several career records at SMSU, including points, free throws made, assists and steals.
•He broke the steals and points scored record earlier this season, while becoming the assists and free throws made all-time leader last season.
•He also ranks  first in free throw pct., second in field goals made and seventh in scoring average.
•SMSU record book stats are located on page 4.

    SCHAFER REACHES 1,000 POINTS
•Senior Taylor Schafer became the 24th player in team history to reach the 1,000 career points earlier this season versus Northland College on Nov. 20. He currently ranks 15th on the career list with 1,153 points.

    SMSU SETS RECORDS VERSUS FORT HAYS STATE
•SMSU set a program single-game record shooting 73.1 percent from 3-point range (19 of 26) in the win over Fort Hays State on Nov. 10.
•The 19 made 3-pointers tied the single-game record which was set at Minnesota-Morris on Feb. 2, 2002.
•The 19 made 3-pointers also set an R/A Facility single-game record breaking the previous mark of 16 set four times.

    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES  
•A total of five SMSU players have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers, including 15 times this season.
•Senior Ryan Bruggeman has 37 career 20-point games, including 11 this season, which includes seven 30-point games.
•Senior Taylor Schafer has seven, senior Michael Lee and sophomores Nick Dufault and Kenny Byers each have two during their careers.
20 or More Point Games - 2018-19 Season
    36    Ryan Bruggeman    Minnesota State, 12/7/18
    34    Ryan Bruggeman    Minot State, 1/18/19
    33    Ryan Bruggeman    Mayville State, 11/14/18
    31    Ryan Bruggeman    Minnesota State, 1/12/19
    31    Ryan Bruggeman    Sioux Falls, 12/30/18
    31    Ryan Bruggeman    Sioux Falls, 12/1/18
    30    Ryan Bruggeman    Minnesota Duluth, 12/15/18
    29    Ryan Bruggeman    UMary, 1/19/19
    25    Michael Lee    Fort Hays State, 11/10/18
    24    Ryan Bruggeman    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/8/18
    22    Ryan Bruggeman    Wayne State, 1/5/19
    22    Nick Dufault    Crown, 11/24/18
    21    Taylor Schafer    Minot State, 1/18/19
    21    Ryan Bruggeman    Augustana, 1/4/19
    20    Kenny Byers    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/8/18
    20    Kenny Byers    Crown, 11/24/18
 




    KOLIN BARTLETT NOTES
•Has played in 16 games with six starts and is averaging 1.7 ppg and 1.3 rpg.
•Made three field goals vs. Augustana and Wayne State earlier this season.
•Younger brother of former Mustang Joey Bartlett (2013-17).

    RYAN BRUGGEMAN NOTES
•SMSU's all-time leader scorer with 1,836 points.
•Averaging a team-high 24.5 ppg with a team-high 104 assists.
•Has seven 30-plus point games this season.  
•Scored a career-high 36 points vs. Minnesota State earlier this season (12/7/18).
•Ranks first in team history with 5.4 assists per game.
•Ranks first in team history with 614 assists.
•Ranks first in team history with 488 free throws made.
•Ranks first in team history with 192 steals.
•Has started every game in his career.
•Two-time first team All-NSIC.
•Named 2018 honorable mention All-American by D2Bulletin.
•Named 2018 NABC first team All-Region and CCA second team All-Region.
•Named MVP of the 2017 NSIC Tournament.

    KENNY BYERS NOTES
•Has played 18 games with 17 starts and is averaging 10.7 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
•Has scored double figures in 10 games.
•Tied a career-high with 20 points with seven field goals vs. Concordia-St. Paul (12/8/18).
•Scored 20 points on nine field goals vs. Crown (11/24/18).
•Played as a true freshman in 2017-18.

    NICK DUFAULT NOTES
•Has played 18 games and is averaging 8.5 ppg.  
•Ranks third on the team with 30 3-pointers and is fifth in scoring.
•Scored a season-high 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting with four 3-pointers vs. Crown (11/24/18).  
•Ranks fifth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. at 42.3.
•Sat out 2016-17 season as a redshirt.

    BRAEDAN HANSON NOTES
•Has played in 18 games with eight starts and is averaging 7.0 ppg and 4.1 rpg.
•Scored a career-high 17 points vs. Crown (11/24/18).
•Poured in 16 points with four 3-pointers vs. UMary (1/19/19).
•Grabbed a career-high eight rebounds vs. Bethany Lutheran (11/19/18).
•Sat out 2016-17 season as a redshirt.

    GRANT KRAMER NOTES
•Has played in 18 games and is averaging 1.8 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
•Scored career-high eight points with a career-high 11 rebounds vs. Minnesota State (1/12/19).
•Made three field goals in two games.
•Sat out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES
•Has started all 18 games and is averaging 8.7 ppg.
•Ranks second on the team with 38 3-pointers.
•Has scored double figures in seven games this season.
•Scored a career-high 25 points with seven 3-pointers vs. Fort Hays State (11/10/18).
•Ranks third in team history in 3-point pct. at 43.3.
•Ranks seventh in team history with 175 3-pointers.
•Made 80 3-pointers last season ranking seventh in team single-season history.

    STEVEN MCNEASE NOTES
•In first season at SMSU and has one season of eligibility.
•Has missed five games and most of a sixth with an injury.
•Has played in 12 games with five starts and is averaging 5.7 ppg and a team-high 7.9 rpg.
•Recorded career-high 18 rebounds and scored career-high 16 points vs. Northland (11/20/18).
•Has two double-doubles.
•Played last season at Copper Mountain College (Calif.).

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has started all 18 games and is averaging 12.5 ppg.
•Leads the team with 41 3-pointers.  
•Has scored double figures in 14 games.
•Reached 1,000 career points during win vs. Northland (11/20/18).
•Scored a season-high 21 points vs. Minot State (1/18/19). •Ranks fourth in school history with 215 3-pointers and is fourth in 3-pointers attempted (548).

    KEVIN TOTUSEK NOTES
•Has played in three games and is averaging 2.0 ppg.
•Scored four points vs. Crown (11/24/18).
•Sat out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU is 8-5 at home this season after recording a 12-2 home mark last season.
•SMSU is a combined 118-44 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•SMSU is 2-3 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 88-80 in 168 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 2018-19:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    8-5    50.3    43.9    81.1    34.1    82.8    11.2    
Away    2-3    40.2    32.3    78.2    32.2    71.2    9.6

    SMSU TRUE "ROAD WARRIORS" LAST FEW SEASONS
•SMSU, which is 2-3 in road games this season, finished 13-7 away from Marshall last season, including 8-5 in "true" road games and 5-2 in neutral site games.
•SMSU finished 12-3 in "true" road games during the 2016-17 season, recording the most road wins in team history.

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU has a 3-1 record versus the NSIC North Division this season and are a combined 35-17 versus North teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the start of the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU's 7-1 record last season was its best finish versus the North since divisions were formed.
•SMSU finished 6-2 in 2016-17; 3-5 in 2015-16; 5-3 in 2014-15; 5-3 in 2013-14; and 6-2 in 2012-13.
•The NSIC South holds a 250-166 advantage over NSIC North teams in conference play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, but this season its even at 16-16..
•The South Division has held the advantage in every season. In 2017-18, the South led 38-26; 2016-17, the South finished 35-29; 2015-16, the South led 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.

    BRUGGEMAN EARNS PRESEASON HONOR; SMSU PICKED SIXTH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman was named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year for the second straight season.
•SMSU was picked to finish sixth overall and fourth in the South Division in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll released in October.
•Minnesota State and St. Cloud State was chosen as the overall co-favorites.

    BACK-TO-BACK 20-WIN SEASONS
•SMSU's 25 victories last season ranks as the fourth highest in team history.
•SMSU has recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons for just the second time in program history and has a total of six 20-win seasons in team history.
•SMSU combined to win 53 games the last two seasons (2016-18) which is the best two-year combined wins total in team history.





    SMSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
•SMSU made its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018) last season since moving to Division II in 1995-96.
•SMSU is 9-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament games and has appeared in three region championship games, while winning region championships in both 2001 and 2009.  

    NSIC SOUTH CHAMPIONS AGAIN
•SMSU captured the program's second straight NSIC South Division title last season. The NSIC divisional format was created prior to the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU tied with St. Cloud State for second place overall in the 16-team conference.
•SMSU won overall NSIC championships in both 2001 and 2009.

    BRUGGEMAN 2017-18 POST SEASON HONORS
•SMSU senior Ryan Bruggeman was named honorable mention All-American by D2Bulletin last season.
•He was the first SMSU player to earn All-American honors since Ross DeMasi in 2009.
•Bruggeman was also named first team All-NSIC, first team NABC All-Region and second team CCA All-Region.

    WINS VERSUS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS
•SMSU has yet to face a nationally-ranked team in 2018-19.
•SMSU defeated No. 7 (D2SIDA)/No. 12 (NABC) Northern State 64-57 on Jan. 27, 2018, in Aberdeen, S.D., recording its lone win over a ranked team last season.
•Prior to the victory last season over NSU, SMSU's last victory over a Top 10 team was on March 3, 2010, at No. 8 (NABC) Minnesota State in the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament.

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2018-19 season marks the 23rd year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has a record of 225-86 (.723) in 311 games with just two losing 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    9-3    8-3    1-0
    2017-18    12-2    10-1    2-1
    2018-19    8-5    3-4    5-1    
    Totals    225-86    147-61    78-25

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 607 straight games.
•The last time SMSU failed to score a 3-pointer was on Dec. 11, 1998, versus MSU Moorhead (0 for 10) at the North Dakota State Classic.

    MUSTANGS REACH 100 AND THEN SOME
•SMSU has scored 100 or more points twice this season, defeating Bethany Lutheran, 101-81 and Crown College, 100-81.
•The last time SMSU reached 100 twice in a season came during the 2015-16 season, while the last time SMSU scored 100 or more three times in a season occurred during the 2000-01 season.
•SMSU is now 39-8 all-time when scoring 100 points.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 45-39 all-time in overtime games, including 0-1 last season following a 91-85 at Sioux Falls on Nov. 25, 2017.
•SMSU is 7-6 in double overtime games and 0-2 in triple overtime games all-time.

    SMSU RANKED IN THREE PRESEASON POLLS
•SMSU opened the 2018-19 regular season ranked in three preseason polls.
•SMSU was ranked No. 20 by the NABC, No. 14 by D2Bulletin and No. 22 by D2SIDA.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2018-19 campaign marks the 50th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 366-392 in 758 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 25 times in 49 seasons.
•SMSU has finished in the top half of the NSIC standings in 17 of the last 22 seasons since 1997-98.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC TOURNAMENT
•Since the NSIC Tournament started in 2000, SMSU is 23-16 all-time with two championships (2012 & 2017).
•SMSU has advanced to the semifinals 11 times and have played in seven championship games (2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018).
•The Mustangs are 10-2 at home, 1-7 on the road and 12-7 in neutral sites tournament games.

    MUSTANG HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State is competing in its 52nd season of men's basketball in 2018-19.
•SMSU has played 1,433 games compiling an all-time record of 663-770.
•SMSU has won two NSIC regular season championships (2001 & 2009), two NSIC South Division championships (2017 & 2018), two NSIC tournament championships (2012, 2017), two NCAA region championships (2001 & 2009) and has appeared in five NCAA tournaments (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018).
•SMSU has recorded 23 winning seasons in program history with 16 coming in the last 20 years.