THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (4-8, 1-5 NSIC) returns to the road to open the New Year with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games on Jan. 3-4, 2020, versus NSIC South opponents.
•SMSU will take on NSIC South Division co-leader Augustana University (10-2, 5-1 NSIC) on Friday, Jan. 3, at the Sanford Pentagon with game time set for 7:30 p.m.
•On Saturday, Jan. 4, SMSU concludes the weekend facing Wayne State College (5-10, 2-4 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 5:30 p.m. at Rice Auditorium in Wayne, Neb.
•SMSU concluded the 2019 calendar year on Saturday, Dec. 21, suffering an 84-69 home loss to the University of Sioux Falls.
•SMSU returns home on Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, versus Concordia-St. Paul.
 
    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
•Live stats, radio broadcast and video can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS AUGUSTANA
•SMSU and Augustana meet for the 38th time on Friday with Augustana leading 22-15 with the first meeting during the 1972-73 season.
•Augustana holds an 11-5 advantage in games played at Augustana's home arena, including a 77-73 victory last season at the Elmen Center.
•SMSU is 2-0 all-time versus Augustana at the Sanford Pentagon with both victories coming during the NSIC Tournament in 2017 and 2018.
•The teams have split the last eight games since Dec. 30, 2016, but Augustana won both games last season.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-13 all-time versus Augustana.
•A complete listing of each game is located on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS WAYNE STATE
•SMSU and Wayne State meet for the 73rd time on Saturday with WSC leading 39-33 in a series that started during the 1969-70 season.
•WSC leads the series 24-9 in games played in Wayne, including earning an 86-77 victory last season. The WSC victory last season in Wayne snapped a three-game SMSU winning streak at Rice Auditorium.
•WSC won both regular season meetings last season, but SMSU earned an 84-78 overtime victory in Sioux Falls, S.D., in the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament.
•SMSU has won 15 of the last 18 games overall since Dec. 3, 2011.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 17-5 all-time versus WSC.
•A complete listing of each game is located on page 18.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•SMSU committed just eight turnovers in 55 minutes during three-overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth, but committed 16 turnovers in the loss to Sioux Falls on Dec. 21.
•SMSU allowed 84 points in the loss to Sioux Falls on Dec. 21, matching the highest allowed by SMSU this season. Stonehill (Mass.) also scored 84 points on Nov. 15.
•SMSU's triple overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 14 was just the third triple overtime game in program history.
•SMSU scored a season-high 89 points in the victory over UMD on Dec. 13 and also tied a season-high with 33 field goals made and tied a season-high with 11 3-pointers made.  
•UMD's 35.1 percent shooting was the lowest by an SMSU opponent this season.
•Junior Kenny Byers leads the team in scoring (16.4), rebounding (8.5), assists (28), steals (15) and has recorded a team-high six double-doubles.  
•Junior Nick Dufault has connected on a team-high 30 3-pointers and ranks fourth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (42.7). Dufault also ranks tied for 14th in program history with 123 3-point field goals made. He needs one more 3-pointer to move into a tie for 13th and 11 to move into 12th.
•Freshman Cliff McCray has reached double figure scoring in seven of the last eight games.    
•Sophomore Grant Kramer, who ranks second on the team with 24 assists, missed the Sioux Falls games on Dec. 21 due to injury.  
•SMSU has outrebounded its opponents four times through 12 games this season, but is plus-0.3 in rebound margin. Last season, SMSU outrebounded its opponent just twice in its last 21 games and finished last in the NSIC in rebound margin (minus-8.5).  
•SMSU is shooting 44 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 62 percent from the free throw line and is plus-0.3 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 69 points per game, while opponents are averaging 72 points per game.


    SMSU VICTORIES OVER THE LAST THREE-PLUS SEASONS
•Southwest Minnesota State has posted a combined record of 75-37 the past three-plus seasons (start of 2016-17 to current) which includes two NSIC South Division titles and three appearances in the NSIC Tournament championship game.
•The 71 victories entering this season is the best three-year run in program history.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 11th season as head coach with an overall record of 183-132, including 123-101 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
•The 2012-13 and 2016-17 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to seven 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 NSIC South Division championships in both 2016-17 and 2017-18.  
•SMSU has played in five NSIC Tournament championship games during his tenure (2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019).
•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.

    POOR SECOND HALF COSTLY FOR SMSU VERSUS USF
•SMSU closed the 2019 calendar year with an 84-69 home loss to Sioux Falls on Dec. 21.
•USF shot 58 percent and scored 51 points in the second half  and also made 27 of 36 free throws in the game to earn the victory.
•USF held a 14-0 advantage in points off of turnovers, forcing SMSU into 16 turnovers.
•The Mustangs were led by Kenny Byers, who scored a game-high 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting with three 3-pointers.
•Nick Dufault (16) and Cliff McCray (11) both reached double figure scoring for the Mustangs.
•SMSU closed the game shooting 52 percent (26 of 50) from the field, but shot just 43 percent in the second half.
•USF, which outrebound SMSU 41-19 in the first meeting in November, held a 34-25 advantage tonight with 16 offensive rebounds.

    SCOUTING AUGUSTANA    
•Augustana is 10-2 overall, 5-1 NSIC, and is coming off a 74-72 home victory over Wayne State on Dec. 21.  
•Junior guard Matt Cartwright is averaging 16.1 ppg with 18 3-pointers but has missed five games due to injury.
•Sophomore guard Matt Todd is averaging 13.3 ppg and has made a team-high 29 3-pointers.
•Junior forward Tyler Riemersma is scoring 12.2 ppg and is averaging a team-high 9.2 rpg. He is shooting a team-high 58 percent from the field.  
•Head coach Tom Billeter is in his 17th season with a record of 315-179. He has a 412-229 overall record in 22 seasons as a head coach.   
•AU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-10.5 in rebound margin.
•AU is averaging 85 points per game, while opponents average 72 points per game.  

    SCOUTING WAYNE STATE    
•Wayne State is 5-10 overall, 2-4 NSIC, after losing at Augustana on Dec. 21. WSC will host Sioux Falls on Jan. 3 before taking on SMSU.  
•Sophomore guard Jordan Janssen leads the team in scoring, 17.8 ppg and rebounding, 10.8 rpg. He is also shooting 51 percent from the field.  
•Junior guard Nick Ferrarini is scoring 14.4 ppg and has made 31 3-pointers.
•Junior forward Nate Mohr is averaging 12 ppg and has made 30 3-pointers.
•Head coach Jeff Kaminsky is in his fourth season at WSC with a record of 45-47. He has also been head coach at Valley City State and Wisconsin-Superior.
•WSC is shooting 45 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3-point range, 68 percent from the free throw line and is minus-1.2 in rebound margin.
•WSC is averaging 73 points per game, while opponents average 77 points per game.  

    SMSU IN THE 2019-20 NCAA STATISTICS
•The latest 2019-20 NCAA statistics (Jan. 1) are located on page 16.
•SMSU ranks 59th in turnovers per game and 61st in blocked shots per game.
•Weston Baker Magrath is ranked eighth in blocked shots and 15th in blocked shots per game.
•Kenny Byers ranks 10th with six double-doubles, 41st in total rebounds and 72nd in rebounding.

    SMSU IN THE 2019-20 NSIC STATISTICS
•The current 2019-20 NSIC team statistics (NSIC games only) are located on pages 14.
•Kenny Byers ranks sixth in rebounding, ninth in scoring and 12th in free throw pct.
•Nick Dufault ranks fourth in 3-point field goals per game, fifth in 3-point field goal pct. and 10th in scoring.  
•Weston Baker Magrath ranks first in blocked shots.
•SMSU ranks sixth in field goal pct. defense and fourth in 3-point field goal pct. defense.

    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES  
•Two current SMSU players, juniors Nick Dufault and Kenny Byers have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Byers has reached 20 points four times this season and six times in his career, while Dufault has two 20-point games this season and four in his career.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    28    Nick Dufault    Minnesota Duluth, 12/14/19
    27    Kenny Byers    St. Cloud State, 12/13/19
    24    Kenny Byers    Minnesota Duluth, 12/14/19
    23    Kenny Byers    Sioux Falls, 12/21/19
    23    Nick Dufault    Crown, 11/21/17
    22    Nick Dufault    Crown, 11/24/18
    20    Nick Dufault    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/7/19
    20    Kenny Byers    Central Missouri, 11/9/19
    20    Kenny Byers    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/8/18
    20    Kenny Byers    Crown, 11/24/18
Bold indicates 2019-20 season

    WESTON BAKER MAGRATH NOTES
•Has started 12 games and is averaging 7.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
•Leads the team with 27 blocked shots.
•Season-high 18 points vs. Minnesota Morris (11/22/19).
•Played previous two seasons at Nebraska-Kearney and averaged 6.6 ppg and 3.1 rpg in 2018-19.
•Led UNK in blocked shots last season with 33.
•Scored a 2018-19 season-high 18 points versus Northeastern State.
 
    KENNY BYERS NOTES
•Has started 12 games and leads team in scoring (16.4), rebounding (8.5), assists (28) and steals (15).
•Has scored 20 or more points four times this season.
•Has recorded six double-doubles this season.
•Scored career-high 27 points vs. St. Cloud State (12/13/19).
•Grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/14/19).
•Played 32 games with 31 starts last season and averaged 10.2 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Named to the 2019 NSIC All-Tournament team.
•Played as a true freshman in 2017-18.

    BRIAN DAYMAN NOTES
•Has played in 12 games with 10 starts and is averaging 4.6 ppg and 5.0 rpg.
•Grabbed career-high nine rebounds vs. Stonehill and recorded eight rebounds vs. Minnesota Duluth.
•Scored 10 points vs. Arkansas-Monticello with four field goals.
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    NICK DUFAULT NOTES
•Has played in 12 games with five starts and ranks second in scoring (13.9).
•Has made a team-high 30 3-pointers this season.
•Career-high 28 points with a career-high 11 field goals vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/14/19).
•Has scored 20 or more points twice this season.
•Has made career-high five 3-pointers four times, including once this season.
•Ranks fourth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (42.7).
•Ranked third on the team with 49 3-pointers last season.
•Sat out 2016-17 season as a redshirt.

    KADEN EVANS NOTES
•Has missed six games with an injury.
•Has played in six games and is averaging 3.8 ppg and 1.7 rpg.
•Scored 13 points with five field goals, including three 3-pointers vs. Mayville State.
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    BRAEDAN HANSON NOTES
•Has played in 12 games with two starts and is averaging 4.2 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
•Career-high nine rebounds vs. Stonehill (11/15/19) and vs. Minnesota Morris (11/22/19).
•Scored season-high 10 points vs. Minnesota Morris.
•Played in 32 games with 22 starts last season, averaging 6.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg.
•Scored a career-high 17 points vs. Northland (11/20/18).
•Poured in 16 points with four 3-pointers vs. UMary (1/19/19).
•Sat out 2016-17 season as a redshirt.

    GRANT KRAMER NOTES
•Has played in 11 games with seven starts and is averaging 5.5 ppg and 2.6 rpg.
•Has missed one game with an injury.
•Has dished out 24 assists.
•Career-high 14 points vs. Northern Michigan (11/16/19).
•Scored 13 points vs. Stonehill (11/15/19).
•Played in 32 games in 2018-19 and averaged 2.6 ppg and 2.4 rpg.
•Career-high 11 rebounds at Minnesota State (1/12/19).
•Sat out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.

    CLIFF MCCRAY NOTES
•Has started 12 games and is averaging 9.9 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
•Career-high 15 points and tied career-high with four assists vs. Minnesota Duluth.
•Made career-high three 3-pointers vs. Sioux Falls (12/21/19).
•Scored 14 points with six field goals at Sioux Falls (11/30/19).
•Has scored in double figures in eight games.
•Grabbed season-high seven rebounds at Central Missouri.
•One of two true freshman to play in 2019-20.

    JAKE PHIPPS NOTES
•Has appeared in 12 games and is averaging 4.0 ppg and 2.5 rpg.
•Scored eight points with six rebounds at Central Missouri.
•Also scored eight points vs. Northern Michigan.  
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    ANDY STAFFORD NOTES
•Did not play in the first seven games. Has played in five games and is averaging 2.8 ppg and 2.8 rpg.
•Scored six points with a 3-pointer vs. Minnesota Duluth.
•Scored four points with five rebounds vs. St. Cloud State.
•One of two true freshman to play in 2019-20.

    KEVIN TOTUSEK NOTES
•Has played in two games this season.
•Scored one point vs. Minnesota Morris.
•Played in five games in 2018-19 and averaged 1.2 ppg.
•Scored four points vs. Crown (11/24/18).
•Sat out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU is 3-2 at home this season after finishing the 2018-19 season 12-5 at home.
•SMSU is a combined 125-46 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•SMSU is 1-6 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 93-92 in 185 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    3-2    49.7    37.3    70.2    34.8    76.6    12.6    
Away    1-6    39.8    35.8    57.4    35.9    63.0    12.4         
          
    SMSU PICKED 12TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish 12th overall and sixth in the South Division in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•Minnesota State was chosen as the South Division and overall favorite, while Minnesota Duluth was picked to win the North Division.
•SMSU junior guard Kenny Byers was named a "Player to Watch".

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU is 1-1 versus NSIC North Division teams this season and  is a combined 38-20 versus North teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished with a 5-3 record versus the NSIC North Division in 2018-19.
•SMSU finished 7-1 in 2017-18; 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 263-193 advantage over NSIC North teams in conference play since divisions were formed in 2012-13. The North holds a 5-3 lead this season.
•In 2018-19, the North finished 38-26, which was the first time in seven seasons the North finished with a winning record.
•Prior to last season, the South Division held the advantage in every season. In 2017-18, (38-26); in 2016-17 (35-29); in 2015-16 (37-27); in 2014-15 (35-29); in 2013-14 (42-22), while in 2012-13 (47-17).

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2019-20 season marks the 24th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has a record of 232-88 (.725) in 320 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    12-5    7-4    5-1    
    2019-20    3-2    1-2    2-0
    Totals    232-88    152-63    80-25

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 633 straight games.
•The last time SMSU failed to connect on a 3-pointer was on Dec. 11, 1998, versus MSU Moorhead (0 for 10) at the North Dakota State Classic.

    A LOOK BACK AT SMSU IN 2018-19
•SMSU concluded the 2018-19 season with an 18-14 overall record, placed fifth in the NSIC South Division with a 10-12 mark and finished ninth in the overall standings.
•SMSU won three straight games in the NSIC Tournament to advance to the championship game for the third straight season before losing to Northern State, 72-68.
•SMSU finished the season shooting 48 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range, 81 percent from the free throw line and was minus-5.4 in rebound margin.
•SMSU averaged 80 points per game, while opponents averaged 78 points per game.

    REPLACING ALL-AMERICAN RYAN BRUGGEMAN
•One of several key players SMSU must replace from last season's team is guard Ryan Bruggeman, who closed his career as one of the most decorated players in program history.
•Bruggeman set the program's all-time scoring record with 2,246 points in 128 games. He is also the all-time leader in field goals made, free throws made, assists, free throw percentage and steals.
•A three-time All-NSIC honoree, Bruggeman was a third team All-American in 2018-19 and was selected to play in the NABC/Reese's All-Star game in March.
•Bruggeman finished the conference season ranking first in scoring (27.0), first in steals (2.4), second in field goals made (217), fourth in free throw pct. (92.0), fourth in assists (5.1) and 13th in assist/turnover ratio (1.8).
•He was the sixth SMSU player and the first since 1990-91 to lead the conference in scoring after averaging 27 per game in 22 league games.
•The 27 ppg is the highest scoring average in the NSIC since MSU Moorhead's Greg Duke also averaged 27 ppg in 1996-97.  

    MUSTANGS REACH 100 AND THEN SOME
•SMSU scored 100 or more points three times in 2018-19, defeating Bethany Lutheran, 101-81, Crown College, 100-81 and Minnesota Crookston, 100-78.
•It was the first time SMSU scored 100 or more three times in a season since 2000-01.
•SMSU is 40-8 all-time when scoring 100 points.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 47-39 all-time in overtime games, including 1-0 this season following a triple overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 14.
•SMSU is 7-6 in double overtime games and now 1-2 in triple overtime games all-time.

    SMSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
•SMSU has made five NCAA Tournament appearances (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018) in program history since moving to Division II in 1995-96.
•SMSU is 9-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament games appearing in three region championship games with region titles and Elite Eight appearances in both 2001 and 2009.  

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2019-20 campaign marks the 51st season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 372-402 in 774 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 25 times in 50 seasons.
•SMSU has finished in the top half of the NSIC standings in 17 of the last 23 seasons since 1997-98.
•SMSU has one regular season championship (2000-01) and two tournament championships (2012 and 2017).
•SMSU also won NSIC South Division titles in both 2016-17 and 2017-18.

    MUSTANG HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State is in its 53rd season of men's basketball in 2019-20.
•SMSU has played 1,459 games compiling an all-time record of 675-784.
•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 24 winning seasons in program history with 17 coming in the last 21 years.