THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (2-2, 0-0 NSIC) will open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Saturday and Sunday hosting Minnesota State University (4-2, 3-1 NSIC) at the R/A Facility in Marshall with game times set for 1 p.m. each day.
•The games were pushed back one day because of COVID-19 protocols.
•SMSU's two scheduled games at Upper Iowa last weekend were canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
•This weekend will be the first two conference games for SMSU after having two games versus Winona State and two games versus Upper Iowa canceled the past two weekends. SMSU last played on Jan. 9 versus Minot State.

    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 broadcast can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 64th and 65th time with MSU leading 46-17 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•MSU leads 19-9 in games played in Marshall, which includes a 53-46 victory last season on Jan. 11, 2020.
•MSU has won 14 of the last 18 games overall since the 2012-13 season, which includes winning the previous five and six of the last seven games since Jan. 20, 2018. SMSU's lone victory in that span was on Feb. 26, 2018, in Marshall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 7-18 all-time versus MSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 12th season as head coach and has an overall record of 189-147, including 127-113 in NSIC 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 won back-to-back NSIC South Division championships in 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.
•SMSU's 71 combined victories from 2016-19 was the best three-year run in program history.
•Bigler's complete bio is found on page 16.    

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE   
•Southwest Minnesota State is 2-2 overall following a split of two home games on Jan. 8-9 versus Minot State. SMSU started the weekend with an 83-64 win on Friday, but MSU answered back with an 82-65 victory on Saturday.
•In the Friday, Jan. 8 win, Nick Dufault scored a game-high 22 points on 8 of 10 shooting, including 6 of 7 from 3-point range. Kaden Evans added a career-high 17 points on 7 of 12 from the field with three 3-pointers.
•SMSU finished the victory shooting 62 percent from the field, including 15 of 25 from 3-point range and held a 33-20 rebound advantage.
•In the Jan. 9 loss, MSU shot a blistering 59 percent and forced SMSU into 16 turnovers.
•Evans and Dufault each scored 15 points with Cliff McCray and Sam Schwartz each adding 11 points.
•SMSU shot just 39 percent in the first half on Saturday and attempted just four free throws.  
•For the season, SMSU is shooting 50 percent from the field, 49 percent from 3-point range, 57 percent from the free throw line and is minus-1.0 in rebound margin. SMSU is averaging 69 points per game, while opponents average  69 ppg.

    MUSTANGS IN THE RECORD BOOK
•Three currents Mustangs rank high in the program single-season and career records book.
•Senior Nick Dufault currently ranks fifth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (42.0) and ranks ninth with 163 career 3-pointers. He is 10 shy of tying Jacob Fahl (1999-2003) for eighth all-time with 162.  
3-Point Field Goals Made Career
    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.     242    Taylor Schafer (128 games) - 2015-19
    5.     210      Travis Krenske (86 games) - 2005-08
    6.     207    Michael Lee (125 games) - 2015-19
    7.     182    Joey Bartlett (122 games) - 2013-17
    8.     173    Jacob Fahl (120 games) - 1999-03
    9.    163    Nick Dufault (97 games) - 2016-21
•Senior Weston Baker Magrath set a program record last season with 57 blocked shots.   
•Sophomore Jake Phipps shot 63.3 percent from the field last season ranking third in team single-season history.

    SMSU UNDERCLASSMEN PLAY BIG MINUTES
•With senior Kenny Byers, season opt out, and junior Grant Kramer, currently out with an injury, SMSU will rely on several underclassmen to play big roles this season.
•Through four games, SMSU has played 13 players with all but two either sophomores, redshirt freshmen or true freshmen. SMSU starting line-up features one senior, three sophomores and one redshirt freshman.  

    SCOUTING MINNESOTA STATE
•Minnesota State is 4-2 overall, 3-1 NSIC, and is coming off a road split last weekend versus Wayne State, losing 85-68 on Friday, before rebounding with an 80-77 victory on Saturday. The Mavericks were picked to finish second in the NSIC South preseason coaches' poll.
•Sophomore guard Quincy Anderson is averaging 16.3 ppg with 14 3-pointers and also averages 6.3 rpg to pace the Mavericks.         
•Junior guard Devonte Thedford averages 13.3 ppg and has dished out a team-leading 19 assists.    
•Sophomore guard Malik Willingham has connected on a team-high 15 3-pointers and is scoring 11.5 ppg.  
•MSU is shooting 44 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.2 in rebound margin. MSU is averaging 75 points per game, while opponents averaging 73 ppg.
•Head coach Matt Margenthaler is in his 20th season with a record of 414-182. He has led the Mavericks to 13  NCAA Tournament appearances

    SMSU PICKED 7TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish seventh in the South Division in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU senior guard Nick Dufault was named a "Player to Watch".
•Augustana was chosen as the South Division favorite, followed by Sioux Falls, Winona State and Minnesota State rounding out the top four.  

    NEW LOOK NSIC SCHEDULE AND POSTSEASON  
•Each NSIC team was scheduled to have 16 regular season games with 14 conference games versus teams within their division.
•The NSIC Sanford Tournament has been reduced to an eight-team tournament with the top four teams in each division advancing to the tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES  
•Two current SMSU players, seniors Nick Dufault and Kenny Byers have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Dufault has one 20-point game this season and has six in his career.
•Byers reached 20 points nine times last season and has  11 times in his career, which includes one 30-point game last season.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    33    Kenny Byers    Minnesota Crookston, 1/31/20
    28    Nick Dufault    Minnesota Duluth, 12/14/19
    27    Nick Dufault    Bemidji State, 2/1/20
    27    Kenny Byers    St. Cloud State, 12/13/19
    24    Kenny Byers    Wayne State, 1/4/20
    24    Kenny Byers    Minnesota Duluth, 12/14/19
    23    Kenny Byers    Minnesota State, 1/11/20
    23    Kenny Byers    Sioux Falls, 12/21/19
    23    Nick Dufault    Crown, 11/21/17
    22    Nick Dufault    Minot State, 1/8/21
    22    Nick Dufault    Crown, 11/24/18
    21    Kenny Byers    Concordia-St. Paul, 1/10/20
    21    Kenny Byers    Augustana, 1/3/20
    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 2020-21 season

    WESTON BAKER MAGRATH NOTES
•Has played in three games and is averaging 3.3 ppg and 3.7 rpg.
•Missed one game with an injury this season.
•Played in all 29 games last season with 25 starts and averaged 6.5 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Set program single-season record last season with 57 blocked shots.
•Career-high 18 points vs. Minnesota Morris (11/22/19) and season-high seven rebounds at Minnesota State (12/6/19).
•Played two seasons at Nebraska-Kearney and averaged 6.6 ppg and 3.1 rpg in 2018-19.

    LOGAN BENSON NOTES
•Has played in one game.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    KENNY BYERS NOTES
•Sitting out the 2020-21 season.
•Started all 29 games last season and led team in scoring (16.3), rebounding (6.9), assists (95) and steals (43).
•Named second team All-NSIC in 2019-20.
•Scored 20 or more points nine times and recorded eight double-doubles last season.
•Scored double figures in all but three games.
•Scored career-high 33 points at Minnesota Crookston (1/31/20).  
•Scored 27 points vs. St. Cloud State (12/13/19).
•Grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/14/19).
•Named to the 2019 NSIC All-Tournament team.

    NOAH CHAMBERLAIN NOTES
•Has played in four games and is averaging 3.0 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Scored season-high seven points vs. Minot State (1/8/21) on 3 of 3 shooting with one 3-pointer.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    BRIAN DAYMAN NOTES
•Has started all four games and is averaging 5.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg.
•Scored a career-high 11 points on a career-high five field goals at Minot State (1/2/21).
•Played in all 29 games with 26 starts last season and averaged 3.5 ppg and was second on the team with 4.3 rpg.
•Grabbed career-high 11 rebounds vs. Minnesota State (1/11/20).
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    NICK DUFAULT NOTES
•Has started all four games and is averaging a team-high 16.8 ppg with a team-high 15 3-pointers.
•Scored season-high 22 points vs. Minot State (1/8/21).
•Played in 27 games with 13 starts a season ago and ranked second in scoring (10.8).
•Made a team-high 55 3-pointers last season.
•Ranks fifth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (42.0) and ninth in 3-point field goals made (163).
•Made career-high seven 3-pointers at Bemidji State (2/1/20).
•Career-high 28 points with a career-high 11 field goals vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/14/19).
•Sat out 2016-17 season as a redshirt.

    KADEN EVANS NOTES
•Has played in all four games and is averaging 12.5 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
•Scored career-high 17 points vs. Minot State (1/8/21) with seven field goals.  
•Missed all but six games with an injury last season, averaged 3.8 ppg and 1.7 rpg.
•Scored 13 points with five field goals, including three 3-pointers vs. Mayville State (11/21/19).
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    ALEX HILLESHEIM NOTES
•Has played in one game this season and scored one point with one steal vs. Minot State (1/8/21).
•Did not play basketball in 2019-20.

    GRANT KRAMER NOTES
•Has not played in any games this season due to injury.
•Played in 20 games with 11 starts a season ago and averaged 7.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg.
•Missed nine games with an injury.
•Scored career-high 18 points on a career-high seven field goals with four 3-pointers at Northern State (2/26/20).
•Scored 17 points with five 3-pointers versus both Wayne State (2/21/20) and Augustana (2/22/20).
•Career-high 11 rebounds at Minnesota State (1/12/19).
•Sat out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.

    CLIFF MCCRAY NOTES
•Has started all four games and is averaging 8.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg.
•Scored season-high 11 points vs. Minot State (1/9/21).
•Grabbed season-high nine rebounds vs. Minot State (1/8/21).  
•Started all 28 games last season and averaged 8.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg in 2019-20.
•Career-high 16 points at Upper Iowa (2/15/20).
•Scored 14 points with career-high six field goals at Sioux Falls (11/30/19).
•One of two true freshman to play in 2019-20.

    LANCE MOSLEY NOTES
•Has played in one game this season and has one rebound.
•One of five true freshmen on the roster.

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has not appeared in any games this season.
•One of five true freshmen on the roster.

    JACOB OWEN NOTES
•Has not appeared in any games this season.
•One of five true freshmen on the roster.

    JAKE PHIPPS NOTES
•Has started all four games and is averaging 10.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg.
•Tied career-high with 18 points at Minot State (1/3/21).
•Appeared in all 29 games with three starts last season and averaged 7.2 ppg and 3.8 rpg.
•Shot a team-high 63.3 percent from the field last season ranking third in team history.
•Scored season-high 18 points in four games.
•Career-high 10 rebounds at Bemidji State (2/1/20).
•Career-high five blocked shots vs. Concordia (1/10/20).
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    SAM SCHWARTZ NOTES
•Has started all four games and is averaging 9.0 ppg and 4.3 rpg.
•Scored 11 points twice with three 3-pointers vs. Minot State (1/8/21) and (1/9/21).
•Scored eight points with six rebounds and four assists at Minot State (1/2/21).
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    ISSAC SOUMIS NOTES
•Has played in three games and is averaging 1.7 ppg.  
•Scored five points with one 3-pointer at Minot State (1/3/21).
•One of five true freshmen on the roster.

    JONATHAN ZINNIEL NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•One of five true freshmen on the roster.

    BYERS EARNS ALL-NSIC IN 2019-20
•Senior Kenny Byers, who is sitting out this season, was named second team All-NSIC last season.
•Byers led SMSU in nearly every offensive category averaging a team-high 16.3 points per game and ranked first on the team with 6.9 rebounds per game.
•He also was the team leader in both assists (95) and steals (43) and closed the season shooting 44.9 percent (180 of 401) from the field and 70.5 percent (86 of 122) from the free throw line.
•His eight double-doubles ranked fifth among all NSIC players during the regular season.
•In NSIC play, Byers ranked fifth in the league in steals (1.5), 10th in scoring (17.3), 12th in rebounding (6.7), 12th in assists (3.5), 16th in assist/turnover ratio (1.1), 18th in field goal percentage (45.0) and 19th in free throw percentage (75.2).

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU is 1-1 at home this season after finishing 4-9 at home last season.
•SMSU is a combined 127-54 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•SMSU is 1-1 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 97-99 in 196 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 2020-21:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    1-1    52.2    47.2    55.6    31.5    74.0    16.5    
Away    1-1    47.7    51.9    57.1    31.0    64.0    14.5    

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU will not have any conference games versus NSIC North Division teams in 2020-21.
•SMSU finished 3-5 versus NSIC North Division teams last season and is a combined 40-24 versus North teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season.
•The 2019-20 season was just the second time in eight seasons SMSU had a losing record versus the North Division.
•SMSU finished with a 5-3 record versus the NSIC North Division in 2018-19. SMSU was 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 South finished with a 34-30 advantage in 2019-20.
•Through eight seasons of conference play, the NSIC South holds a 294-218 advantage over NSIC North teams since divisions were formed in 2012-13.  
•The 2018-19 season is the only year in which the North has held an advantage versus the South.  

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2020-21 season marks the 25th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has a record of 234-96 (.709) in 330 games with three 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    4-9    2-9    2-0
    2020-21    1-1    0-0    1-1
    Totals    234-96    153-70    81-26

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 654 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.

    MUSTANGS AND THE CENTURY MARK
•SMSU did not reach 100 points in a game during the 2019-20 season.
•SMSU last scored 100 points on Feb. 1, 2019, versus Minnesota Crookston.
•SMSU is 40-8 all-time when scoring 100 points.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 47-39 all-time in overtime games, including a triple overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth last season on Dec. 14, 2019.
•SMSU is 7-6 in double overtime games and is 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.  

    SEASON OPENERS
•SMSU is now 29-25 all-time in season openers following this season's 66-61 loss at Minot State.
•SMSU has opened the season on the road five times in the last six seasons.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2020-21 campaign marks the 52nd season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 375-413 in 788 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 54th season of men's basketball in 2020-21.
•SMSU has played 1,480 games compiling an all-time record of 681-799.
•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 23 years.