THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (4-1, 1-0 NSIC), fresh off a 70-69 road victory over the University of Sioux Falls to open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Tuesday night, will have its 2021-22 home opener this Monday, Nov. 29, taking on Division III the University of Minnesota Morris (3-4) at the R/A Facility with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.
•SMSU has won four straight games for the first time since winning five in a row during the 2018-19 season.
•SMSU has also won two straight road games for the first time since Dec. 15, 2018, (Minnesota Duluth) and Dec. 30, 2018 (Sioux Falls).
•UMM, a member of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC), has lost two straight games and is coming off a 94-85 road loss to Mayville State (N.D.) on Tuesday.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Monday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
•Live stats, radio and video broadcasts of all games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA MORRIS
•SMSU and Minnesota Morris meet for the 80th time Monday with SMSU leading 42-37. The two schools were both members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference from 1969-2003.   
•SMSU has won the previous 19 games with UMM's last victory coming during the 1996-97 season.
•The teams last played on Nov. 22, 2019, in Marshall with SMSU earning an 82-59 victory. SMSU is 26-15 all-time in games played in Marshall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 3-0 all-time versus Minnesota Morris.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 19.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 13th season as head coach and has an overall record of 194-154, including 129-119 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 stretch in program history.
•Bigler's complete bio is found on page 18.

    SMSU OPENS NSIC PLAY WITH BIG VICTORY AT SIOUX FALLS
•Southwest Minnesota State University rallied from a 15-point first half deficit, with Jake Phipps leading the way tying a career-high with 22 points, to earn a 70-69 road victory over the University of Sioux Falls on Tuesday night.
•It's the second straight season SMSU has rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat Sioux Falls.
•SMSU finished the game making 11 of 17 from 3-point range. USF, which earlier this season defeated No. 1 Northwest Missouri State, drops to 3-2 overall, 0-1 NSIC.
•Phipps, named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Monday, made 8 of 12 field goals, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. It's his second straight 20-point game becoming the first Mustang to score 20 or more points in back-to-back games since Kenny Byers did it seven straight games during the 2019-20 season.
•Kenny Byers added 16 points, tied a career-high with eight assists and grabbed five rebounds, while Dunwa Omot chipped in with 13 points while making three 3-pointers.
•The Mustangs finished the game shooting 46 percent (27 of 59) from the field and held a 33-32 rebound advantage. The Cougars closed the night shooting 40 percent (25 of 62), including 11 of 28 from 3-point range.
 
    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•As of Nov. 23, SMSU ranks 31st in Division II in scoring defense (62.6) and 33rd in rebound margin (+8.6).
•Sophomore Jake Phipps leads the team in scoring (17.0), rebounding (8.2), and field goal pct. (61.8).
•Redshirt freshman Dunwa Omot, who scored a career-high 16 points last Saturday in a victory over Davenport, has connected on a team-high 11 3-pointers. He has made three or more 3-pointers three of five games.
•Sophomore Cliff McCray and senior Kenny Byers each have a team-high 20 assists. McCray has recorded a team-high 11 steals.
•Byers is closing in on becoming the 25th player in team history to score 1,000 career points. He has poured in 973 points in 98 career games, making 378 field goals, including 56 3-pointers and has made 161 free throws.
•SMSU has held all five opponents to 69 or less points, including a season-low 58 in a victory over Newman (Kan.) on Nov. 13.
•SMSU has outrebounded its opponent in all five games.
•SMSU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 79 percent from the free throw line and is plus-8.6 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 70 points per game, while opponents are averaging 63 points per game.

    SMSU SETS PROGRAM SINGLE-GAME RECORD
•This year's Mustang team set a program single-game record in an 84-58 victory over Newman on Nov. 13 connecting on all 15 free throw attempts. The previous single-game record was a 14 for 14 performance versus Minnesota Crookston  Jan. 18, 2002.  

    PHIPPS EARNS NSIC WEEKLY AWARD
•SMSU sophomore Jake Phipps on Nov. 22 was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week following his play in a pair of SMSU victories in Kenosha, Wis.
•Phipps averaged 18 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocked shots in SMSU's victories over Wisconsin-Parkside and Davenport (Mich.). He shot a combined 64 percent (16 of 25) from the field, including connecting on three 3-pointers during the two games.

    SCOUTING MINNESOTA MORRIS
•Minnesota Morris is 3-4 on the season following a road loss to Mayville State on Nov. 23.   
•UMM has played one NSIC team this season, losing 91-57 at Bemidji State on Nov. 19.
•UMM was picked to finish fifth in the eight-team UMAC preseason poll. The Cougars finished 4-6 overall, 3-5 UMAC, in 2020-21.
•Junior Noah Kannegiesser is averaging a team-high 18 ppg with 12 3-pointers this season.
•Junior Ian Carlin is scoring 12.9 ppg, while shooting 64 percent from the field. He also leads the team in rebounding at 5.1 per game.
•Senior Dillon Haider has connected on a team-leading 17 3-pointers and is averaging 11.6 ppg.
•UMM is shooting 51 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, 66 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.5 in rebound margin.
•UMM is averaging 86 points per game, while opponents are averaging 82 points per game.
•Head coach Paul Grove is in his 20th season at UMM with a record of 233-260. He was also head coach at Mayville State from 1997-2002.  

    SMSU PICKED 7TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish 13th overall and seventh in the South Division in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU senior guard Kenny Byers was named a "Player to Watch".
•Minnesota State and Wayne State each were chosen as the South Division favorites. MSU Moorhead was selected as the overall preseason favorite.  

    NEW LOOK NSIC FORMAT TOURNAMENT  
•SMSU is set to play 22 conference games this season, including two versus each team within the NSIC South Division and one each versus the NSIC North Division.
•New this season, the men's teams will play first, followed by the women's game in half of the NSIC doubleheaders.
•Also new this season, the NSIC Sanford Tournament will feature just 12 teams, with the top six in each division qualifying for the tournament. The top two teams in each division receive a spot in the quarterfinals.
•The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game will all be played at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

    KENNY BYERS RETURNS IN 2021-22
•Senior Kenny Byers, who sat out all of last season, returns to the team this season after earning second team All-NSIC in 2019-20.
•Byers led SMSU in nearly every offensive category two seasons ago averaging a team-high 16.3 points per game and ranked first on the team with 6.9 rebounds per game.
•He 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.
•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).

    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES  
•Two current SMSU players, senior Kenny Byers along with sophomore Jake Phipps have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Byers has reached 20 points once this season and has 12 times in his career, which includes one 30-point game.
•Phipps reached 20 points twice this season and has three 20-point games in his career.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    33    Kenny Byers    Minnesota Crookston, 1/31/20
    27    Kenny Byers    St. Cloud State, 12/13/19
    26    Kenny Byers    Parkside, 11/19/21
    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
    22    Jake Phipps    Sioux Falls, 11/23/21
    22    Jake Phipps    Sioux Falls, 2/21/21
    21    Jake Phipps    Davenport, 11/20/21
    21    Kenny Byers    Concordia-St. Paul, 1/10/20
    21    Kenny Byers    Augustana, 1/3/20
    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 2021-22 season

    LOGAN BENSON NOTES
•Has started all five games and is averaging 2.0 ppg and 3.6 rpg.
•Made first career 3-pointer at Sioux Falls (11/23/21).
•Played in seven games with two starts last season.
•Scored three points vs. Davenport (11/20/21) and grabbed five rebounds.  
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    KENNY BYERS NOTES
•Has started all five games and is averaging 14.6 ppg and 5.2 rpg.
•Is tied for team lead with 20 assists.
•Scored season-high 26 points with 10 field goals at Parkside (11/19).
•Sat out the 2020-21 season.
•Started all 29 games in 2019-20 and led team in scoring (16.3), rebounding (6.9), assists (95) and steals (43).
•Named second team All-NSIC in 2019-20.
•Recorded eight double-doubles in 2019-20.
•Scored career-high 33 points at Minnesota Crookston (1/31/20).  
•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 with one rebound this season.
•Played in eight games with two starts last season and averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg.
•Scored season-high seven points vs. Minot State (1/8/21) on 3 of 3 shooting with one 3-pointer.
•Scored five points vs. Minnesota State (1/24/21).
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    ANTHONY COSTELLO NOTES
•Has played in all five games and is averaging 7.2 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds vs. Newman (11/13/21).
•Poured in 11 points on five field goals vs. Rogers State (11/12/21).
•Spent three seasons (2018-21) at Dakota State.

    ALEX HILLESHEIM NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•Played in five games averaged 4.0 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Scored career-high 13 points on five field goals and grabbed a career-high six rebounds vs. Minnesota State (1/24/21).

    GRANT KRAMER NOTES
•Has started all five games and is averaging 4.2 ppg and 6.0 rpg.
•Scored nine points vs. Newman (11/13/21).
•Played in five games with three starts last season after missing the first six games due to 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 five games and is averaging 12 ppg and is tied for the team lead with 20 assists.
•Scored a career-high 19 points vs. Newman (11/13/21) on 7 of 10 shooting.
•Played and started nine games in 2020-21 and averaged 7.7 ppg and a team-high 6.0 rpg.
•Led the team with 41 assists.
•Started all 28 games in 2019-20 and averaged 8.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg in 2019-20.
•One of two true freshman to play in 2019-20.

    LANCE MOSLEY NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•Played in three games last season and scored two points vs. Minnesota State (1/23/21).

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has played in five games and is averaging 9.8 ppg and 0.8 rpg.
•Leads the team with 11 3-pointers.
•Poured in career-high 16 points of 5 of 6 shooting with four 3-pointers vs. Davenport (11/20/21).
•Scored 15 points on 5 of 6 shooting with three 3-pointers vs. Newman (11/13/21).
•Played in four games and averaged 1.3 ppg and 0.8 rpg in 2020-21.











    JAKE PHIPPS NOTES
•Has started all five games is averaging 17 ppg and 8.2 rpg.
•Tied a career-high with 22 points with four 3-pointers at Sioux Falls (11/23/21).
•Named NSIC South Player of the Week on Nov. 22, 2021.
•Scored 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting with 11 rebounds vs. Davenport (11/20/21).  
•Grabbed career-high 12 rebounds and scored 15 points at Parkside (11/19/21).  
•Started 10 of 11 games in 2020-21 and averaged 11.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
•Appeared in all 29 games with three starts in 2019-20 and averaged 7.2 ppg and 3.8 rpg.
•Shot a team-high 63.3 percent from the field in 2019-20 ranking third in team history.
•Career-high five blocked shots vs. Concordia (1/10/20).
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    SAM SCHWARTZ NOTES
•Has played in five games and is averaging 2.8 ppg and 1.4 rpg.
•Scored five points vs. Rogers State (11/12/21).
•Played in nine games with four starts in 2020-21 and averaged 9.3 ppg and 2.8 rpg.
•Scored career-high 15 points with six field goals vs. Sioux Falls (2/21/21).
•Hit three 3-pointers twice vs. Minot State (1/8-9/21).
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    JONATHAN ZINNIEL NOTES
•Has played in one game and scored two points vs. Newman (11/13/21).
•Played in three games in 2020-21 and had one rebound.  

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU finished 2-6 at home last season after finishing 4-9 in 2019-20.
•SMSU is a combined 128-59 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•SMSU is 4-1 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 101-101 in 202 road/neutral site games since Brad Bigler took over as head coach in 2009-10.
•The following is a statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away/neutral games in 2021-22:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
Away    4-1    45.9    36.3    79.1    37.8    70.0    13.0

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU did not have any conference games versus NSIC North Division teams in 2020-21.
•SMSU finished 3-5 versus NSIC North Division teams in 2019-20 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 2021-22 season marks the 26th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has a record of 235-101 (.699) in 336 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    2-6    1-5    1-1
    2021-22    -    -    -
    Totals    235-101    154-75    81-26

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 666 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 2020-21 and last scored 100 points on Feb. 1, 2019, versus Minnesota Crookston.
•SMSU is 40-8 all-time when scoring 100 points, including 8-2 under head coach Brad Bigler.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU finished 1-0 in overtime games in 2020-21 defeating Sioux Falls in the season finale, 76-69.
•SMSU is 48-39 all-time in overtime games.
•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 29-26 all-time in season openers following this season's loss to Rogers State.
•SMSU has opened the season on the road six times in the last seven seasons.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2021-22 campaign marks the 53rd season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 378-420 in 798 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 25 times in 52 seasons.
•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 55th season of men's basketball in 2021-22.
•SMSU has played 1,492 games compiling an all-time record of 686-806.
•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 24 years.