THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (1-1) will open its 2020-21 home season this Friday and Saturday taking on Minot State University (1-1) in a pair of non-conference games inside the R/A Facility. Friday's game is set to start at 5 p.m., while Saturday's game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
•The two games were added to the schedule on Wednesday with both teams looking for games following cancellations earlier in the week. SMSU's two homes games versus Winona State and MSU's two home games versus Minnesota Duluth were all canceled on Monday due to COVID-19 protocols.  
•SMSU and MSU are familiar with each other after having played two close games last Saturday and Sunday in Minot, N.D. Minot State won the opener on Saturday, 66-61, while SMSU bounced back with a 67-65 victory on Sunday.
•This will be the first time SMSU has played an opponent four straight games in program history. SMSU played Northern State in three straight games from Feb. 28-March 14, 2009.
•Due to COVID-19 and Minnesota Department of Health guidelines, no spectators will be allowed inside the arena.

    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 MINOT STATE
•SMSU and Minot State meet for the 12th and 13th time this weekend with SMSU holding a 10-1 advantage.
•SMSU leads 4-0 in games played in Marshall, including the last match-up inside the R/A Facility on Jan. 18, 2019.
•The teams first met on Nov. 26, 2011, in Bemidji, Minn.  
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 10-1 all-time versus MISU.
•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 188-146, 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 opened the 2020-21 season last weekend splitting a pair of non-conference games at Minot State. MSU won the opener on Saturday, 66-61, scoring the final six points of the game in the final minute, while SMSU rebounded on Sunday to earn a 67-65 victory.
•In Saturday's loss, Nick Dufault scored a team-high 13 points with three 3-pointers to pace the Mustangs. Kaden Evans scored 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers.
•SMSU shot 56 percent in the second half to rally from a 13-point halftime deficit to take the lead with under three minutes remaining, before MSU rallied for the win.
•In Sunday's victory, Dufault hit a pair of free throws with 36 seconds remaining to give the Mustangs the victory. Dufault closed the game with 17 points with three 3-pointers. Jake Phipps tied a career-high with 18 points on 8 of 11 shooting and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, while Cliff McCray tied a career-high with six assists.
•SMSU shot a blistering 59 percent in the first half on Sunday in building a 19-point lead.
•For the season, SMSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 52 percent from 3-point range, 57 percent from the free throw line and is minus-5.5 in rebound margin. SMSU is averaging 64 points per game, while opponents average  66 ppg.

    SMSU UNDERCLASSMEN PLAY BIG MINUTES
•With both senior Kenny Byers (season opt out) and junior Grant Kramer (injury) missing the season, SMSU will rely on several underclassmen to play big roles this season and they did in last weekend's games.
•Redshirt freshman Sam Schwartz started both games and averaged seven points and dished out seven assists with four steals. Redshirt freshman Kaden Evans came off the bench to average nine points and five rebounds per game, while scoring a career-high 12 points in Saturday's loss.
•Sophomore Brian Dayman scored a career-high 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds on Saturday, while fellow sophomore Cliff McCray started both games and averaged 6.5 points with a team-high eight assists. Another sophomore Jake Phipps averaged 12 points and 5.5 rebounds, while shooting 58 percent.
•True freshman Issac Soumis played in Sunday's game and scored five points with one 3-pointer, while redshirt freshman Noah Chamberlain appeared in both games and scored two points.  

    MUSTANGS IN THE RECORD BOOK
•A handful of Mustangs rank high in the program single-season and career records book.
•Senior Nick Dufault currently ranks eighth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (41.1). Dufault's 154 career 3-pointers ranks 12th in team history. He is eight shy of tying Brian Wiersma (1999-2003), Chad Ostermann (1993-97) and Andre Beasley (1990-93) for ninth all-time with 162.  
•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.

    NEW LOOK NSIC SCHEDULE AND POSTSEASON  
•Each NSIC team was schedule 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.  

    SCOUTING MINOT STATE
•Minot State, 1-1 overall, was picked to finish seventh in the NSIC North Division preseason poll. The Beavers finished last season 10-19 overall, including 4-18 in NSIC play. MISU ended its 2019-20 season with a 79-68 loss at Sioux Falls in the first round of the NSIC Sanford Health Tournament.
•Junior guard Cam'ron Dunfee averaged 13.5 ppg with five 3-pointers in last weekend's games. He led the team in scoring in both games.        
•Senior guard Max Cody is the team's top returning scorer from last season at 15.1 ppg. He connected on 38 3-pointers and dished out a team-high 186 assists last season. He is averaging 8.0 ppg with 10 assists following last weekend's games.   
•Senior forward Kody Dwyer averaged 11 points last season, while shooting 71 percent and grabbing 5.1 rpg.  
•Through two games, MSU is shooting 40 percent from the field, 24 percent from 3-point range, 66 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.0 in rebound margin.
•MSU is averaging 66 points per game, while opponents averaging 64 ppg.
•Head coach Matt Murken is in his ninth season with a record of 106-128.

    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.  

    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.
•Byers reached 20 points nine times last season and has  11 times in his career, which includes one 30-point game last season, while Dufault had three 20-point games last season and has five in his career.
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    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
•Missed one game with an injury this season. Scored four points with seven rebounds last Saturday.
•Played in all 29 games last season with 25 starts and averaged 6.5 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Set program single-season record with 57 blocked shots last season.
•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 not played in any games.
•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 two games and has scored two points.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    BRIAN DAYMAN NOTES
•Has started both games and is averaging 9.0 ppg and 5.5 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 two games and is averaging 15.0 ppg with six 3-pointers.
•Scored season-high 17 points at Minot State (1/3/21).
•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 eighth in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (41.1).
•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 two games and is averaging 9.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg.
•Scored season-high 12 points at Minot State (1/2/21).
•Missed all but six games with an injury last season, averaged 3.8 ppg and 1.7 rpg.
•Scored career-high 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 not appeared in any games this season.
•Did not play basketball in 2019-20.

    GRANT KRAMER NOTES
•Will miss the 2020-21 season with an 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 both games and is averaging 6.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg.
•Scored six points with six assists and six rebounds at Minot State (1/3/21).
•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 not appeared in any games this season.
•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 both games and is averaging 12 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 last season.
•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 both games and is averaging 7.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•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 one game and 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 not appeared in any games 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 finished 4-9 at home last season registering its first losing season since 2014-15 and just the third since the R/A Facility opened in 1996-97.
•SMSU is a combined 126-53 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    0-0    -    -    -    -    -    -    
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 233-95 (.710) in 328 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    0-0    0-0    0-0
    Totals    233-95    153-70    80-25

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 652 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 1,478 games compiling an all-time record of 680-798.
•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.