THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (8-4, 4-3 NSIC) returns from its holiday break on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, hosting the University of Sioux Falls (7-6, 3-4 NSIC) inside the R/A Facility with game time set for 2 p.m.
•SMSU, which enters the break having won a pair of road games versus Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State on Dec. 17-18, will look to sweep the regular season series from USF after earning a 70-69 victory over the Cougars in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Nov. 23.
•The Jan. 2 game opens a three-game homestand for SMSU and will be the Mustangs' last NSIC South Division opponent for more than a month. SMSU will play eight straight games versus NSIC North Division foes starting on Jan. 7-8, 2022, hosting Minot State and UMary.

    BROADCAST INFO
•The 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 198-157, including 132-122 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.
•Bigler's complete bio is found on page 16.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•In the latest NCAA statistics (Dec. 21), SMSU ranks 53rd in rebound margin (+5.0), 61st in scoring defense (67.8) and 69th in free throw pct. (74.2). Jake Phipps ranks 29th with 18 blocked shots and 60th in field goal pct. (57.6). A complete listing of the latest NCAA stats can be found on page 15.
•Sophomore Jake Phipps leads the team in scoring (15.1) and rebounding (7.4), ranks second in field goal pct. (57.6) and is third in 3-pointers (14).
•Senior Kenny Byers ranks second on the team in scoring (13.5) and is second in assists (38).
•Redshirt freshman Dunwa Omot and senior Grant Kramer have each connected on a team-high 19 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Cliff McCray has recorded a team-high 47 assists and has a team-leading 23 steals.
•SMSU has held nine of its 12 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 nine of 12 games.
•SMSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 74 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.0 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 71 points per game, while opponents are averaging 68 points per game.
•SMSU allowed just 10 second half points to Winona State on Dec. 10. It was the first time an SMSU 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.

    PHIPPS NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME
•Sophomore Jake Phipps was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week for the second time this season on Dec. 20.
•Phipps averaged 23.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocked shots, while shooting a combined 63 percent (22 of 35) from the field, including connecting on three 3-pointers in SMSU's road victories versus Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State.
•He also earned the award on Nov. 22 after averaging 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.

    SMSU CLOSES DECEMBER WITH TWO BIG WINS
•SMSU closed out the calendar year on Dec. 17-18 with road wins over Concordia-St. Paul (83-70) and Minnesota State (71-69, OT).
•Jake Phipps collected a career-high 25 points on 12 field goals and added five assists, eight rebounds and two blocked shots in the win over CSP.  
•The Mustangs shot a season-high 61 percent (36 of 59) from the field and outrebounding the Golden Bears 34-24.
•SMSU had four players score double-figures, with Phipps being joined by Kenny Byers (18), Sam Schwartz (12) and Anthony Costello (11).
•In the win over MSU, Byers hit the game-winning field goal with 5.6 seconds remaining in overtime.
•Cliff McCray poured in 15 points and added eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.  
•Phipps collected his third double-double of the season, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Byers finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS SIOUX FALLS
•SMSU and Sioux Falls meet for the 39th time on Sunday with SMSU leading 23-15 in a series that started in 1968-69.
•SMSU has won eight of the 14 games since the 2015-16 season, including earlier this season, 70-69 on Nov. 23 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
•SMSU leads the series 16-3 in games played in Marshall, but USF has won three of the last five inside the R/A Facility. The teams split two games last season in Marshall.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 11-9 all-time versus Sioux Falls.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.

    EARLIER THIS SEASON VERSUS SIOUX FALLS
•Southwest Minnesota State University rallied from a 15-point first half deficit, with Jake Phipps leading the way with 22 points, to earn a 70-69 victory over the University of Sioux Falls on Nov. 23 in Sioux Falls.
•Phipps made 8 of 12 field goals, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
•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.
•Matt Cartwright led the Cougars with 19 points with four 3-pointers.
•The box score can be found on page 18.

    SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
•USF enters the game 7-6 overall, 3-4 NSIC, and is coming off an 80-69 road win over Concordia-St. Paul on Dec. 18.
•Matt Cartwright, a transfer from Augustana, missed the Dec. 17-18 games, but is averaging a team-high 22 points with 36 3-pointers this season.
•Sophomore Jack Thompson (12.4) and junior Chase Grinde (10.5) both are scoring in double figures.
•Grinde leads the team in rebounding at 6.8 per game.
•USF is shooting 43 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range, 71 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.0 in rebound margin.
•USF is averaging 74 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74 points per game.
•Head coach Chris Johnson is in his 14th season at USF with a record of 231-162. He was also head coach at Culver-Stockton for one season (2004-05).  

    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 1,062 points in 105 games, connecting on 412 field goals, including 57 3-pointers and 181 free throws.

    SMSU SETS PROGRAM SINGLE-GAME RECORD
•This year's SMSU team set a program single-game record in its 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.

    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 four times this season and five times 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
    25    Jake Phipps    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/17/21
    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    Minnesota State, 12/18/21
    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 12 games and is averaging 2.4 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
•Scored career-high eight points on 4 of 4 shooting vs. Augustana (12/4/21).
•Grabbed career-high six rebounds vs. Winona State (12/10/21).
•Played in seven games with two starts last season.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    KENNY BYERS NOTES
•Has started all 12 games and is averaging 13.5 ppg and 4.9 rpg.
•Ranks 21st in team history with 1,062 points.
•Hit game-winning field goal with 5.6 seconds left in overtime to defeat Minnesota State (12/18/21).
•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 six games and has two points and three 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 12 games and is averaging 8.6 ppg and 3.4 rpg.
•Has scored double figures in seven games including 12 points four times.
•Scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds vs. Newman (11/13/21).
•Spent three seasons (2018-21) at Dakota State University before transferring to SMSU.

    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 12 games and is averaging 7.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
•Tied for team-lead with 19 3-pointers.
•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 12 games and is averaging 11.2 ppg and has dished out a team-high 47 assists.
•Has five or more assists in four games.
•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 last season 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 12 games and is averaging 8.2 ppg and 1.5 rpg.
•Tied for team-lead with 19 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 12 games is averaging a team-high 15.1 ppg and a team-high 7.4 rpg.
•Scored a career-high 25 points with 12 field goals at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•Scored 22 points with 10 rebounds at Minnesota State (12/18/21).
•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 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 12 games and is averaging 4.7 ppg and 3.0 rpg.
•Scored season-high 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•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.  

    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 AND AWAY IN 2021-22
•SMSU, which is 2-2 at home this season, has a home record of 105-56 since Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, 6-2 in road/neutral site games this season, is 93-101 in 194 road/neutral site games during the Bigler era.
•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    6-2    46.9    39.2    78.4    36.0    71.1    12.1

    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 673 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 is 1-0 in overtime games this season earning a 71-69 victory at Minnesota State on Dec. 18.
•SMSU is 49-39 all-time in overtime games, including winning its last four.
•SMSU is 7-6 in double overtime 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 381-423 in 804 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 25 times in 52 seasons.
•SMSU has captured 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 1,499 games compiling an all-time record of 690-809.
•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.