THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (6-4, 2-3 NSIC) closes out play for the month of December with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division road games this weekend versus Concordia-St. Paul (1-10, 0-5 NSIC) and Minnesota State University (7-3, 2-3 NSIC).
•SMSU takes on Concordia-St. Paul on Friday with tip-off slated for 5:30 p.m. inside the Gangelhoff Center, before facing Minnesota State on Saturday with game time set for 3:30 p.m. inside the Taylor Center.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Both 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.

    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 196-157, including 130-122 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.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•In the latest NCAA statistics as of Dec. 13, SMSU ranks 49th in rebound margin (+5.8), 59th in scoring defense (67.5) and 83rd in free throw pct. (73.4). Jake Phipps ranks 33rd with 15 blocked shots. A complete listing of the latest NCAA stats can be found on page 15.
•SMSU allowed just 10 points to Winona State in the second half on Dec. 10. It was the first time an opponent was held to 15 points or less in a half since Michigan Tech scored 15 in the second half on Nov. 17, 2017.
•The last time SMSU held an opponent to less than 50 points in a game was on March 2, 2014, when SMSU defeated Wayne State, 68-45.
•The last time an SMSU opponent was held to five or less field goals in a half came on Dec. 11, 2009, when Northern State had just three field goals in the second half.
•SMSU's 50 rebounds in a victory over Minnesota Morris on Nov. 29 was the first time SMSU recorded 50 rebounds in a game since Feb. 26, 2011, versus Minnesota State.
•SMSU connected on a season-high 14 3-pointers in the loss at Wayne State on Dec. 2.
•Senior Kenny Byers and sophomore Jake Phipps lead the team in scoring (13.4), while Phipps leads the team in rebounding (7.1), ranks second in field goal pct. (55.6) and is third in 3-pointers (11).
•Redshirt freshman Dunwa Omot has connected on a team-high 18 3-pointers.
•Byers has 36 assists, while sophomore Cliff McCray has also recorded a team-high 36 assists and has a team-leading 17 steals.
•SMSU has held eight of its 10 opponents to 69 or less points, including a season-low 49 in a victory over Winona State on Dec. 10.
•SMSU has outrebounded its opponent in eight of 10 games.
•SMSU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.8 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 70 points per game, while opponents are averaging 68 points per game.

    SMSU SPLITS A PAIR OF TIGHT GAMES LAST WEEK
•SMSU split a pair of home games last weekend inside the R/A Facility, rallying past Winona State on Friday earning a 50-49 victory, before suffering a tight 82-80 loss to Upper Iowa on Saturday.
•In the win over WSU, the Mustangs rallied from a 13-point first half deficit, limiting Winona State to 10 second half points on just five field goals, to earn the victory.
•Cliff McCray gave the Mustangs its first lead since the first half with a layup with 48 seconds to put SMSU in front at 50-49.
•SMSU closed the game shooting 39 percent, including just 31 percent in the second half.
•Anthony Costello led the Mustangs with 12 points on 6 of 10 shooting, while Jake Phipps chipped in with 11. •Phipps and Cliff McCray each had a team-high eight rebounds, while Logan Benson had a solid game with five points, six rebounds and two steals.
•In the setback to UIU, SMSU had five players reach double figures in scoring, led by Kenny Byers, who finished with a team-high 22 points and seven rebounds.
•Phipps would be a presence inside, going for 15 points and six rebounds while collecting three blocks.
•Costello would score 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting, while McCray and Dunwa Omot would each add 10 points and five rebounds.
•SMSU finished the game shooting 52 percent (30 of 58) from the field while outrebounding the Peacocks 37-28, but shot just 29 percent (4 of 14) from three point range.

    BYERS REACHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
•Senior Kenny Byers became the 25th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points during SMSU's loss to Augustana on Dec. 4.
•Byers ranks 21st in team history with 1,034 points in 103 games, while connecting on 402 field goals, including 57 3-pointers and 173 free throws.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
•SMSU and CSP meet for the 44th time with SMSU leading 30-13 in a series that began during the 1980-81 season.
•SMSU has won 13 of the last 19 games since Feb. 11, 2011, but CSP has won the last three games, including the last meeting on Jan. 10, 2020, in Marshall.
•SMSU is 12-9 all-time in games played in St. Paul, but has lost the two previous games inside the Gangelhoff Center. SMSU's last victory at CSP came on Jan. 19, 2018.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 13-9 all-time versus CSP.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 66th time with MSU leading 48-17 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•MSU leads 24-8 in games played in Mankato, which includes three straight inside the Taylor Center.
•MSU has won 16 of the last 20 games overall since the 2012-13 season and has won the previous seven meetings, including both last season in Marshall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 7-20 all-time versus MSU.

    SCOUTING CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
•CSP won its season-opening game but has dropped its last 10 games entering play on Friday.   
•Freshman Marcus Skeete is averaging a team-high 13.5 ppg and team-high 6.2 rpg with eight 3-pointers and also has a team-high 35 assists.
•Freshman Elijah Ormiston is scoring 12.8 ppg with a team-leading 7.8 rpg.   
•CSP is shooting 42 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and is minus-5.2 in rebound margin.
•CSP is averaging 65 points per game, while opponents are averaging 77 points per game.
•Head coach Matt Fletcher is in his second season at CSP with a record of 2-23. He previously was the head coach at Bethany Lutheran for four seasons with a record of 76-33.
•Fletcher played four seasons at SMSU and closed his career holding the program record for 3-pointers made and free throw percentage.

    SCOUTING MINNESOTA STATE
•MSU is 7-3 overall, 2-3 NSIC, and will play host to Sioux Falls on Friday night.   
•MSU begins the weekend having lost three in a row, including at Augustana and Wayne State last weekend.
•Sophomore Quincy Anderson is averaging a team-high 17.2 ppg with 20 3-pointers.
•Junior Devonte Thedford is scoring 13.1 ppg with 22 assists.
•MSU is shooting 50 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3-point range, 66 percent from the free throw line and is plus-3.2 in rebound margin.
•MSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74 points per game.
•Head coach Matt Margenthaler is in his 21st season with a record of 427-190.

    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.  

    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.

    PHIPPS EARNS NSIC WEEKLY AWARD
•SMSU sophomore Jake Phipps was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Nov. 22 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.

    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 twice this season and 13 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    Kenny Byers    Upper Iowa, 12/11/21
    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 10 games and is averaging 2.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg.
•Scored career-high eight points on 4 of 4 shooting vs. Augustana (12/4/21).
•Has grabbed season-high five rebounds in three games.
•Played in seven games with two starts last season.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    KENNY BYERS NOTES
•Has started all 10 games and is averaging 13.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
•Leads team lead with 36 assists.
•Scored season-high 26 points with 10 field goals at Parkside (11/19). Also scored 22 points vs. Upper Iowa (12/11).
•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 four games and has two points and two rebounds 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 10 games and is averaging 9.0 ppg and 3.6 rpg.
•Has scored double figures in six games.
•Scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds vs. Newman (11/13/21).
•Spent three seasons (2018-21) at Dakota State.

    ALEX HILLESHEIM NOTES
•Has played in two games this season.
•Last 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 10 games and is averaging 7.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg.
•Scored season-high 16 points vs. Augustana (12/4/21).
•Scored 15 points with five 3-pointers at Wayne State (12/2/21).
•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 10 games and is averaging 11.2 ppg and has dished out a team-high 36 assists.
•Tied career-high with 19 points vs. Minnesota Morris (11/29/21).
•Scored 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 two games with one rebound.
•Played in three games last season and scored two points vs. Minnesota State (1/23/21).

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has played in all 10 games and is averaging 8.5 ppg and 1.6 rpg.
•Leads the team with 18 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 10 games is averaging 13.4 ppg and 7.1 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 10 games and is averaging 4.1 ppg and 2.8 rpg.
•Scored 11 points at Wayne State (12/2/21).
•Grabbed career-high 11 rebounds with a career-high six assists vs. Minnesota Morris (11/29/21).
•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 two games and scored two points vs. Newman (11/13/21) and Minnesota Morris (11/29/21).
•Played in three games in 2020-21 and had one rebound.  

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU is 2-2 at home this season after finishing 2-6 last season and 4-9 in 2019-20.
•SMSU is a combined 130-61 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•SMSU is 4-2 in road/neutral site games this season and are a combined 101-102 in 203 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    2-2    47.0    29.4    69.0    37.8    71.8    12.8     
Away    4-2    45.4    39.8    77.8    36.0    69.2    13.7

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU did not have any conference games versus NSIC North Division opponents 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 237-103 (.697) in 340 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    2-2    1-2    1-0
    Totals    237-103    155-77    82-26

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 671 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 379-423 in 802 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 1,497 games compiling an all-time record of 688-809.
•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.