THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (11-8, 6-8 NSIC) returns to the R/A Facility for a pair of home games this Friday and Saturday versus teams from the NSIC North Division.
•SMSU will face the University of Minnesota Crookston (13-10, 6-8 NSIC) on Friday, Feb. 1, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m.
•SMSU concludes the weekend with a 6 p.m. match-up versus Bemidji State University (6-12, 3-11 NSIC) on Saturday, Feb. 2, for the annual "Hawaiian Night" game.  
•SMSU begins the weekend tied for fifth place in the NSIC South standings, while UMC is tied for fifth and BSU is in eighth place in the North Division standings.  
•Two of the top scorers in NSIC history (conference games only) will be on display Friday night. UMC's Harrison Cleary enters the game ranked eighth all-time with 1,346 points in 58 games, while SMSU's Ryan Bruggeman is 11th with 1,303 points in 80 games. St. Cloud State's Gage Davis is the all-time leader with 1,696 points in 77 games.
•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.
 
    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.
•Friday's game will be broadcast live regionally on Midco Sports Network.
•Live stats and video can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
•SMSU and UMC meet for the 36th time on Friday with SMSU leading 32-3.
•The teams first met during the 1994-95 season with UMC earning an 87-78 win in Marshall, which is its lone win ever in 18 games in Marshall.
•SMSU leads the series 29-1 since UMC joined the NSIC in 1999-2000.
•SMSU has won the last 21 games overall with UMC's last win coming on Jan. 16, 2004, in Crookston.
•SMSU won last season's lone meeting, 82-75 in Marshall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 10-0 all-time versus UMC.
•Game-by-game results of the series are on page 18.
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. BEMIDJI STATE
•SMSU and BSU meet for the 95th time on Saturday with SMSU leading 53-41.
•The teams first played during the 1968-69 season.
•SMSU leads 33-15 in games played in Marshall, including the last two games.
•SMSU won last season's only meeting, 78-72 in Marshall.
•SMSU has won three of the last four meetings, but BSU has won six of the last nine since Feb. 18, 2011.  
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 5-6 all-time versus BSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 19.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU is 11-9 overall, 6-8 NSIC, following a loss at Winona State (85-67) last Friday and a 91-87 road victory over Upper Iowa
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman led the Mustangs in scoring in both games with 29 versus WSU and 21 versus UIU.
•Senior guard Taylor Schafer scored 17 points in the win over UIU.
•SMSU had six players score in double figures in the win over UIU.  
•Bruggeman is averaging a team-high 24.6 ppg with a team-high 114 assists and team-high 41 steals. He has scored 30 or more points seven times this season.
•Schafer is averaging 12.4 ppg with a team-leading 50 3-pointers.
•Sophomore forward Kenny Byers is averaging 10.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg.
•Senior forward Steven McNease, who has missed seven of the last eight games with an injury, leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 per game.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range, 81 percent from the free throw line and is minus-2.8 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 80 points per game, while opponents are averaging 80 points per game.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•Senior guard Ryan Bruggeman ranks first in the NSIC in steals (2.1), first in scoring (26.6), fourth in free throw pct. (92.8) and fifth in assists (5.1).
•Bruggeman ranks second in team history with 645 field goals made. He is 13 away from tying Mike Tobin (1982-86) for the all-time record of 658.
•Bruggeman, the program's all-time leader in free throws made, is three away from reaching 500. He is also the program's all-time leader in steals and is just three away from reaching 200.  
•SMSU has shot 50 percent or higher from the field in three of its last four games. The Mustangs shot 57 percent in last week's win at Upper Iowa, which is its highest percentage in 14 league games.
•SMSU has been outrebounded in its last nine games by an average of 8.9 per game. The last time SMSU held a rebound advantage was at Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 15. SMSU begins the weekend ranked 15th in the NSIC in rebound margin (-6.9).
 •Senior forward Michael Lee ranks seventh in team history with 180 career made 3-pointers. He is two 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.

    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.
•He has scored 1,886 career points in 116 games, surpassing the record held by Jacob Fahl (1999-2003), who scored 1,638 points in 120 games.
•Bruggeman also ranks 11th in NSIC history for career points (conference games only) with 1,303 in 80 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. 29, Bruggeman ranks third among all active players in free throws made (497), fourth in assists (624), fifth in points scored (1,886), sixth in steals (197) and seventh in field goals made (645) .

    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 172-119, including 118-92 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 MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
•The Golden Eagles (13-10, 6-8 NSIC) lost a pair of road games last weekend, 76-67 to UMary on Friday and 92-61 to Minot State on Saturday.
•Junior guard Harrison Cleary is averaging a team-high 21.7 ppg, with a team-leading 65 3-pointers. He is also shooting 93 percent from the free throw line. Cleary was held to a combined 15 points and three field goals in last weekend's two losses.
•Senior guard Chase Knickerbocker is scoring 12 ppg and has connected on 53 3-pointers.
•Senior forward Josh Collins leads the team with 4.9 rpg and is scoring 8.5 ppg.
•UMC is shooting 46 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range, 74 percent from the free throw line and is minus-1.1 in rebound margin.
•UMC is averaging 79 points per game, while opponents are averaging 72 points per game.
•Dan Weisse is in his fifth season as head coach with a record 41-94. He was an assistant at MSU Moorhead for three seasons before coming to UMC.

    SCOUTING BEMIDJI STATE
•BSU (6-12, 3-11 NSIC), which plays at Sioux Falls on Friday, has split its last four games, which came following a nine-game losing streak from Dec. 7 to Jan. 12. The Beavers won at Minot State (93-82) last Friday, before losing to UMary (83-66) on Saturday.
•Sophomore forward Derek Thompson leads the team averaging 15.8 ppg and also leads the club with 6.6 rpg.
•Senior guard Jacob Hoffman has drilled 48 3-pointers and ranks second on the team averaging 12.1 ppg.
•Junior guard Ja Morgan averages 11.1 ppg and has dished out a team-high 112 assists.  
•BSU is shooting 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, 74 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.9 in rebound margin.
•BSU is scoring 77 points per game, while opponents are averaging 80 per game.
•Mike Boschee is in his seventh season at BSU with a record of 82-103. He was head coach at Central College (Iowa) for nine seasons with a record of 115-115.

    2018-19 NSIC STATISTICS
•The weekly NSIC statistics (NSIC games only) are located on page 14-15.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks first in scoring (26.6), first in steals (2.1), fourth in free throw pct. (92.8) and fifth in assists (5.1).
•Kenny Byers is tied for first in 3-point pct. (55.6), while seniors Michael Lee and Taylor Schafer both are 11th with 2.2 3-pointers per game.
•SMSU ranks first in free throw pct. (82.3), fourth in 3-point field goal pct. defense (35.6) and third in steals (82).

    2018-19 NCAA STATISTICS
•The latest NCAA statistics (through Jan. 29) are located on page 16.
•The Mustangs rank second in free throw pct., 16th in turnovers per game and 22nd in 3-point field goal pct.
•Ryan Bruggeman ranks fifth in field goals made, seventh in scoring, 11th in free throws made, 18th in total assists, 28th in total steals and 34th in assists per game.

    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
•Senior Ryan Bruggeman holds several program career records, including points, free throws made, free throws attempted, free throw percentage, 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 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 14th on the career list with 1,176 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 16 times this season.
•Senior Ryan Bruggeman has 39 career 20-point games, including 13 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    Winona State, 1/25/19
    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    Ryan Bruggeman    Upper Iowa, 1/26/19
    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 18 games with six starts and is averaging 1.5 ppg and 1.5 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 1,886 points.
•Averaging a team-high 24.6 ppg with a team-high 114 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 624 assists.
•Ranks first in team history with 497 free throws made.
•Ranks first in team history with 197 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 20 games with 19 starts and is averaging 10.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg.
•Has scored double figures in 11 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 20 games and is averaging 8.6 ppg.  
•Ranks third on the team with 33 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 42.1.
•Sat out 2016-17 season as a redshirt.

    BRAEDAN HANSON NOTES
•Has played in 20 games with 10 starts and is averaging 7.3 ppg and 4.2 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 20 games and is averaging 2.1 ppg and 2.5 rpg.
•Scored career-high eight points with a career-high 11 rebounds at 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 20 games and is averaging 8.9 ppg.
•Ranks second on the team with 43 3-pointers.
•Has scored double figures in eight 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 180 3-pointers.

    STEVEN MCNEASE NOTES
•In first season at SMSU and has one season of eligibility.
•Has missed seven games and most of a eighth 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 20 games and is averaging 12.4 ppg.
•Leads the team with 50 3-pointers.  
•Has scored double figures in 15 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 220 3-pointers and is fourth in 3-pointers attempted (557).

    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 3-4 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 89-81 in 170 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    3-4    42.8    35.0    81.6    30.3    73.4    9.1      

    SMSU TRUE "ROAD WARRIORS" LAST FEW SEASONS
•SMSU, which is 3-4 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 609 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 367-393 in 760 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 1,435 games compiling an all-time record of 664-771.
•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.