THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (4-1, 1-0 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action with a pair of games this Thursday and Saturday.
•On Thursday, SMSU will host Augustana University (4-3, 0-1 NSIC) inside the R/A Facility with game time set for 7:30 p.m., while on Saturday, SMSU travels to Wayne, Neb., to face Wayne State College (6-1, 1-0 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 5:30 p.m. inside Rice Auditorium.
•SMSU will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak to AU dating back to 2018 and earn its first win over the Vikings in Marshall since the 2013-14 season.
•Wayne State was the NSIC coaches' preseason pick to win the NSIC South Division and third overall. The Wildcats play at Sioux Falls on Thursday before hosting SMSU.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games 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 AUGUSTANA
•SMSU and Augustana meet for the 44th time on Thursday with AU leading 28-15 with the first meeting in 1972-73.
•AU has won the past eight games, including three last season, with SMSU's last victory coming on Feb. 24, 2018, in Sioux Falls, S.D.
•AU holds an 12-8 advantage in games played in Marshall and has won the previous seven meetings in Marshall. SMSU's last home win in the series occurred on Dec. 6, 2013.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-18 all-time versus Augustana
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 18.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS WAYNE STATE
•SMSU and WSC meet for the 79th time on Saturday with WSC leading 42-36 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•WSC leads the series 25-10 in games played in Wayne, including earning a 68-65 win last season.
•The teams split a pair of games last season but SMSU has won 18 of the last 24 games since Dec. 3, 2011.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 20-8 all-time versus WSC.
•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 14th season as head coach and has an overall record of 209-166, including 139-129 in NSIC play. He earned his 200th career victory on Jan. 22, 2022, versus Bemidji State.
•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 17.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•For the season, SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring with sophomore Dunwa Omot leading the way at 15.4 ppg while connecting on a team-high 10 3-pointers.
•Senior Anthony Costello is averaging 12.8 ppg and shooting 49 percent (27 of 55) from the field.
•Junior Cliff McCray is scoring 9.8 ppg and has dished out a team-leading 26 assists.
•Freshman Mason Lund has made eight 3-pointers and is averaging 10.8 ppg.
•Junior Jake Phipps is scoring 10.6 ppg and leads the club pulling down 7.8 rebounds per game..
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, 81 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.6 in rebound margin.
•SMSU is averaging 73 points per game, while opponents are averaging 63 points per game.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•SMSU's victory last Tuesday versus Sioux Falls was the 700th all-time in the 56-year history of the program.
•As of Nov. 28, SMSU ranks 18th in Division II in free throw pct. (81.2), 22nd in 3-point field goal pct. defense (27.1) and 48th in 3-point field goal pct. (39.2). Cliff McCray ranks 31st in Division II in assists per game (5.2) and 47th total assists (26).
•SMSU scored a season-high 79 points and made a season-high 14 3-pointers in last Saturday's win over Mt. Marty.
•Freshman Mason Lund (16) and redshirt freshman Majok Majouk (15) each scored career-highs in points versus Mt. Marty last Saturday. Lund was 2 of 5 from 3-point range, while Majouk made 4 of 5 from 3-point land.
•Junior Jake Phipps ranks fifth in team history in field goal pct. (55.9) and seventh in blocked shots (83).
•Sophomore Dunwa Omot ranks first in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (53.6, 67 of 125).
•Omot's 56.6 3-point field goal pct. (56 of 99) last season set a program single-season record, while his 87.5 free throw pct. ranks seventh in team single-season history.
•SMSU has had four players make their Mustang debuts this year with true freshman Mason Lund and redshirt freshmen Jake Layman, Majok Majouk and Jakob Braaten.
•SMSU had 12 games decided by four points or less or in overtime during the 2021-22 season. SMSU lost three games with the opponent scoring the game-winning points with four seconds or less in regulation and was 4-6 in games decided by four points or less.

    SMSU EARNS TWO VICTORIES INCLUDING NSIC OPENER
•SMSU opened NSIC play on Nov. 22 defeating Sioux Falls, 73-65, inside the R/A Facility.
•Anthony Costello led four Mustangs in double figures with 15 points, while grabbing six rebounds. Jake Phipps recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Cliff McCray scored 13 points and Dunwa Omot added 12 points.
•SMSU closed the game shooting 42 percent (22 of 53), including 3 of 13 from 3-point range, while USF shot 38 percent.
•SMSU committed just eight turnovers, held a 38-34 rebound advantage and made 26 of 32 from the free throw line.
•Last Saturday, SMSU stepped out of NSIC play and defeated Mount Marty, 79-70, in Marshall.
•SMSU connected on 14 3-pointers with the Mustangs' Omot drilling four 3-pointers, while scoring a team-high 20 points.
•Mason Lund scored a career-high 16 points with a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.
•Majok Majouk also poured in a career-high with 15 points, while making four 3-pointers.
•Anthony Costello reached double figures in scoring with 12 points and seven rebounds.
•SMSU closed the game shooting 48 percent (28 of 59) from the field, including a blistering 14 of 28 from 3-point range.

    SCOUTING AUGUSTANA
•The Vikings are 4-3 overall, 0-1 NSIC, and have won two straight after opening the NSIC season last Tuesday with a home loss to Wayne State. AU earned victories last weekend at home versus Valley City State and Hastings.  
•Senior transfer Ryan Miller, is averaging a team-high 12.9 points with 12 3-pointers this season. He also leads the team with 12 steals.
•Sophomore guard Akoi Akoi is averaging 12.4 ppg and shooting 63 percent from the field.
•Senior guard Isaac Fink, who scored 37 points on 14 of 19 shooting at SMSU last season, is scoring 9.7 ppg and leads the team with 8.4 rpg. He is a perfect 15 of 15 from the free throw line.
•AU is shooting 43 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.0 in rebound margin.
•AU is averaging 68 points per game, while opponents are averaging 64 points per game.
•Head coach Tom Billeter is in his 20th season with a record of 356-195. He led the Vikings to the 2016 NCAA Championship. He has a career record of 460-252 in 24 seasons overall having spent four seasons as head coach at North Dakota State.

    SCOUTING WAYNE STATE
•WSC begins the week at 6-1 overall, 1-0 NSIC, and enter Thursday's game at Sioux Falls on a six-game winning streak.
•The Wildcats opened NSIC play last Tuesday with a road win over Augustana and then defeated Tampa and Eckerd last weekend in St. Petersburg, Fla.
•Senior Jordan Janssen is averaging a team-high 20.1 points and a team-high 10.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 53 percent. He is the program's all-time leader in rebounds.   
•Sophomore Nate Mohr, who recently reached the 1,000  career points scored mark, is averaging 15.3 ppg with 23 3-pointers.
•WSC is shooting 43 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, 82 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.3 in rebound margin.
•WSC is averaging 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 points per game.
•Head coach Jeff Kaminsky is in his seventh season at WSC with a record of 86-88. He has also been head coach at Valley City State and Wisconsin-Superior recording more than 538 victories in his career.

    SMSU PICKED 7TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish eighth overall and fifth in the South Division in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU junior forward Jake Phipps was named a "Player to Watch".
•Wayne State was chosen as the South Division favorite, while Minnesota Duluth was selected as the North Division and overall preseason favorite.  

    NSIC FORMAT CONTINUES FOR SECOND YEAR  
•SMSU will play 22 conference games this season, including two versus each team within the NSIC South Division and one each versus the NSIC North Division.
•For the second straight season half of the NSIC doubleheaders will feature the men's game first followed by the women's game.
•Also again this season, the NSIC Sanford Tournament will feature 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 CAREER 20-POINT GAMES  
•Three current SMSU players, senior Anthony Costello,  junior Jake Phipps and sophomore Dunwa Omot have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Phipps reached 20 points five times in 2021-22 and six times in his career, Omot reached the 20-point mark five times in 2021-22 and once this season, while Costello has scored 20 points once in his career.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    28    Dunwa Omot    Minot State, 2/23/22
    25    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota Duluth, 1/28/22
    25    Jake Phipps    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/17/21
    24    Jake Phipps    Northern State, 1/14/22
    24    Dunwa Omot    UMary, 1/8/22
    23    Dunwa Omot    Winona State, 2/12/22
    22    Jake Phipps    Minnesota State, 12/18/21
    22    Jake Phipps    Sioux Falls, 11/23/21
    22    Jake Phipps    Sioux Falls, 2/21/21
    21    Anthony Costello    Newman, 11/12/22
    21    Jake Phipps    Davenport, 11/20/21
    20    Dunwa Omot    Mount Marty, 11/26/22
    20    Dunwa Omot    St. Cloud State, 1/29/22
Bold indicates 2022-23 season

    LOGAN BENSON NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•Played in 27 games with 18 starts and averaged 2.9 ppg and 3.1 rpg last season.
•Scored career-high 10 points on 4 of 4 shooting with two 3-pointers vs. Minnesota Crookston (1/21/22).
•Grabbed career-high six rebounds vs. Winona State (12/10/21).
•Played in seven games with two starts in 2021.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has played in five games and is averaging 4.6 ppg and 3.0 rpg.
•Scored season-high seven points vs. Sioux Falls (11/22/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    NOAH CHAMBERLAIN NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•Played in 15 games with two starts last season.
•Scored season-high five points vs. Minnesota Crookston (1/21/22).
•Played in eight games with two starts in 2021 and averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg.
•Scored career-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 started all five games and is averaging 12.8 ppg and 4.6 rpg.  
•Scored 21 points on 10 of 12 shooting vs. Newman (11/12/22).
•Grabbed season-high seven rebounds vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Played in all 27 games averaging 8.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg last season.
•Scored season-high 18 points on nine field goals at St. Cloud State (1/29/22).
•Scored double figures in 12 games.
•Scored 16 points o 7 of 12 shooting vs. Bemidji State (1/22/22).
•Spent three seasons (2018-21) at Dakota State University before transferring to SMSU.

    ALEX HILLESHEIM NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•Played in three games and grabbed one rebound at Minnesota Duluth (1/28/22) last season.
•Played in five games in 2021 averaging 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).

    JAKE LAYMAN NOTES
•Has played in one game this season and has scored one point.
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has played in five games and is averaging 10.8 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
•Scored season-high 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting with two 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22)
•Scored 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting with six rebounds vs. Newman (11/12/22).

    CLIFF MCCRAY NOTES
•Has started all five games and is scoring 9.8 ppg and leads the team with 26 assists.
•Scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds at Rogers State (11/11/22).
•Tied career-high with eight assists vs. Newman (11/12/22).
•Started all 27 games averaging 9.5 ppg and dished out a team-high 92 assists last season.
•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 2021 and averaged 7.7 ppg and a team-high 6.0 rpg.
•Led the team in 2020-21 with 41 assists.
•One of two true freshman to play in 2019-20.

    MAJOK MAJOUK NOTES
•Has played in five games and is averaging 5.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Poured in season-high 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting with four 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22)
•Scored four points with six rebounds vs. Newman (11/12/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    LANCE MOSLEY NOTES
•Has played in one game this season.
•Played in two games with one rebound last season.
•Played in three games in 2021 scoring two points vs. Minnesota State (1/23/21).

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has started all five games and is averaging 15.4 ppg with a team-high 10 3-pointers.
•Scored 20 points with four 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Scored 19 points with four 3-pointers at Rogers State (11/11/22).
•Played in all 27 games with eight starts last season averaging 11.9 ppg and 1.8 rpg.
•Led the team with 56 3-pointers.
•Shot 56.6 percent on 3-pointers in 2021-22 ranking first in school history, while his 87.5 free throw pct. ranks seventh in team single-season history.
•Scored 20 or more points in five games.
•Scored a career-high 28 points with six 3-pointers at Minot State (2/23/22)
•Scored 25 points with five 3-pointers at Minnesota Duluth (1/28/22).
•Played in four games and averaged 1.3 ppg and 0.8 rpg in 2021.

    JAKE PHIPPS NOTES
•Has started all five games and is averaging 10.6 ppg and team-high 7.8 rpg.
•Recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Sioux Falls (11/22/22)
•Scored 14 points with eight rebounds and five assists vs. Truman State (11/19/22).
•Started all 27 games last season averaging 12.7 ppg and a team-high 6.4 rpg.
•Recorded a team-high five double-doubles last season.
•Scored a career-high 25 points with 12 field goals at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•Scored 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting at Northern State (1/14/22).
•Twice was named NSIC South Player of the Week in 2021-22.
•Started 10 of 11 games in 2021 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.
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    SAM SCHWARTZ NOTES
•Has started all five games and is averaging 3.4 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Scored eight points vs. Truman State (11/19/22).
•Played in 26 games last season averaging 3.7 ppg and 2.1 rpg.
•Scored season-high 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•Poured in 11 points with three 3-pointers vs. UMary (1/8/22).
•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 2021 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 appeared in one game this season.
•Played in three games and scored two points vs. Newman (11/13/21) and Minnesota Morris (11/29/21) last season.
•Played in three games in 2021 and had one rebound.  

    HOME AND AWAY IN 2021-22
•SMSU is 2-1 at home this season after finishing 6-5 at home in 2021-22. SMSU has a home record of 111-60 since Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 1-1 in road/neutral site games this season, is 98-106 in 204 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 2022-23:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    2-1    44.8    41.4    84.3    36.7    71.7    10.0    
Away    2-0    52.9    35.9    77.4    30.0    74.0    16.5    

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2022-23 season marks the 27th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has a record of 243-107 (.694) in 350 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    6-5    5-5    1-0
    2022-23    2-1    1-0    1-1
    Totals    243-107    160-80    83-27

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU finished 3-3 versus NSIC North Division teams in 2021-22.
•SMSU is a combined 43-27 versus North teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished with a 3-5 record versus the NSIC North Division in 2019-20; 5-3 in 2018-19; 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.
•Through nine seasons of conference play, the NSIC South holds a 325-237 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.  

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 693 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 has not scored 100 points in a game since Feb. 1, 2019, versus Minnesota Crookston (100-78).
•SMSU is 40-8 all-time when scoring 100 points, including 8-2 under head coach Brad Bigler.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU was 3-1 in overtime games last season earning a 71-69 victory at Minnesota State on Dec. 18, losing 72-71 to Sioux Falls on Jan. 2, earning a 93-86 double overtime win at St. Cloud State on Jan. 29 and beating Wayne State, 60-55 in Marshall on Feb. 17.
•SMSU is 51-40 all-time in overtime games.
•SMSU is 8-6 in double overtime and is 1-2 in triple overtime games all-time.

    SEASON OPENERS
•SMSU is 30-26 all-time in season openers having won nine of its last 17 and 17 of its last 26 season lid-lifters following this season's victory at Rogers State.
•SMSU has opened the season on the road seven times in the last eight seasons.

    SMSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
•SMSU has made five NCAA Tournament appearances (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018) 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.  

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2022-23 campaign marks the 54th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 388-430 in 818 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 26 times in 53 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 56th season of men's basketball in 2022-23.
•SMSU has played 1,519 games compiling an all-time record of 701-818.
•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 25 winning seasons in program history with 18 coming in the last 25 years, including 2021-22.