THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (8-4, 4-3 NSIC) will have 12 days off before returning to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Saturday, Dec. 31, with a road game versus the University of Sioux Falls. Game time is slated for 3 p.m. inside the Stewart Center on the campus of USF.
•The two teams will be meeting for the second time this season with SMSU earning a 73-65 win in Marshall in the NSIC opener on Nov. 22.
•SMSU, which has won four of its last five games, will also play at UMary (Jan. 6) and Minot State (Jan. 7) before returning home on Jan. 13 versus MSU Moorhead to open a four-game homestand.
•USF has won seven of its last eight games and sits tied atop the NSIC South standings with Wayne State.

    BROADCAST INFO
•All 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.
 
    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 213-169, including 142-132 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.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•For the season, SMSU has three players averaging double figures in scoring with sophomore Dunwa Omot leading the way at 15.2 ppg while connecting on 22 3-pointers with 16 steals.
•Junior Jake Phipps is scoring 10.6 ppg, while shooting 55 percent and leads the team averaging 7.3 rebounds per game
•Senior Anthony Costello is averaging 11.2 ppg and has made 15 3-pointers.
•Junior Cliff McCray is scoring 8.4 ppg and has dished out a team-leading 46 assists.
•Freshman Mason Lund is second on the team lead with 16 3-pointers and is averaging 8.1 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 78 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.4 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 68 points per game, while opponents are averaging 62 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•Through games of Dec. 19, SMSU ranks seventh in Division II in fouls per game (13.0), 18th in free throw pct. (77.8), 21st in scoring defense (62.1), 27th in 3-point field goal pct. defense (28.9) and 28th in field goal pct. defense (39.7). Jake Phipps ranks 53rd in blocked shots (17), while Cliff McCray ranks 56th in assists (46).
•Redshirt freshman Jakob Braaten has missed the last three games due to an injury.
•Sophomore Dunwa Omot finished SMSU's perfect 3-0 week to close break averaging 20.7 points per game, while connecting on 23 of 41 field goals (56.1 percent), including 8 of 14 from 3-point range. He also made 8 of 9 free throw attempts and also dished out seven assists with six steals and grabbed two rebounds.
•SMSU scored a season-high 81 points in the win over Northland on Dec. 19.
•SMSU has put together solid defensive efforts in the second half in four of its last five games. The Mustangs held Winona State to 26.7 percent shooting on Dec. 9 and limited Upper Iowa to 27.3 percent shooting on Dec. 10. In the Dec. 16 win over Concordia-St. Paul, SMSU held CSP to 30.8 percent, while limiting Northland on Dec. 19 to 32.3 percent.
•Phipps ranks fifth in team history in field goal pct. (56.3, 338 of 600) and is sixth in blocked shots (94).
•Omot ranks second in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (50.6, 79 of 156).
•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.
•Phipps grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds at Wayne State on Dec. 3. He is the first SMSU player to grab 15 rebounds in a game since Kenny Byers had 15 at Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 14, 2019.
•SMSU held Winona State to 46 points and 18 field goals, the lowest by an SMSU opponent in both categories this season.
•SMSU was held to a season-low 57 points at Upper Iowa.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS SIOUX FALLS
•SMSU and USF meet for the 41st time on Saturday with SMSU leading 24-16 in a series that started in 1968-69.
•SMSU has won nine of the 16 games since the 2015-16 season, including 73-65 earlier this season in Marshall.
•The teams split a pair of games last season with SMSU winning, 70-69 in Sioux Falls, before USF earned a 72-71 overtime victory in Marshall.
•USF leads the series 12-6 in games played in Sioux Falls, but have split the last six played inside the Stewart Center.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 12-10 all-time versus Sioux Falls.

    SMSU VS. USF EARLIER THIS SEASON
•SMSU defeated USF, 73-65, in Marshall on Nov. 22.
•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 (21 of 56) from the field and made just 6 of 27 from 3-point range.
•SMSU committed just eight turnovers and held a 38-34 rebound advantage.
•Matt Cartwright scored 20 points for the Cougars.

    SMSU CLOSES BREAK WITH THREE STRAIGHT WINS
•SMSU closed its pre-Christmas schedule earning NSIC victories over Concordia-St. Paul (67-63) and Minnesota State (62-58), before defeating Northland (81-48) in a non-conference game.
•Dunwa Omot averaged 20.7 points with eight 3-pointers in the three wins, while Jake Phipps averaged 12.3 ppg and shot 65 percent (13 of 20) from the field.
•SMSU closed the three games shooting 47 percent from the field with 21 3-pointers, while committing just 24 turnovers.
•Cliff McCray scored the eventual game-winning field goal in the final minute of both close wins over CSP and MSU.

    SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
•USF is one of the hottest teams in the NSIC since losing at SMSU on Nov. 22 having won seven of its last eight games and is 10-3 overall, 5-2 NSIC.
•Senior Matt Cartwright, a second-year transfer from Augustana, is averaging a team-high 22 points with 49 3-pointers. He is second on the team in rebounding with 5.2 per game. Cartwright led the Cougars in a win over Concordia-St. Paul on Dec. 17 with 33 points on 12 of 14 shooting with seven 3-pointers.
•Junior Jack Thompson averages 10.9 ppg with 12 3-pointers and has dished out a team-high 54 assists.
•USF is shooting 45 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 75 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 67 points per game.
•Head coach Chris Johnson is in his 15th season at USF with a record of 246-174. He was also head coach at Culver-Stockton for one season (2004-05).  

    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 three times 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    Dunwa Omot    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/16/22
    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    Dunwa Omot    Northland, 12/19/22
    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

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has played in nine games with two starts and is averaging 6.8 ppg and 3.2 rpg. Missed three games with an injury.
•Scored season-high 11 points with five field goals at Wayne State (12/3/22) and also scored 11 points at Winona State (12/9/22).
•Pulled down career-high eight rebounds vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    NOAH CHAMBERLAIN NOTES
•Has played in six games with three starts.
•Grabbed career-high six rebounds vs. Minnesota State (12/17/22).
•Played in 15 games with two starts last season.
•Scored 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.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    ANTHONY COSTELLO NOTES
•Has played in all 12 games with seven starts and is averaging 11.2 ppg and 3.4 rpg.  
•Has scored double figures in nine games.
•Scored season-high 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 last season averaging 8.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg.
•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 two games this season.
•Scored one point vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•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 three games this season and scored eight points.
•Scored five points with five rebounds vs. Northland (12/9/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has played in all 12 games with five starts and is averaging 8.1 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
•Grabbed a career-high nine rebounds vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•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 12 games and is scoring 8.4 ppg and leads the team with 46 assists.
•Tied career-high with eight assists vs. Newman (11/12/22).
•Scored season-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds at Rogers State (11/11/22).
•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 11 games and is averaging 4.6 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
•Grabbed career-high eight rebounds vs. Augustana (12/1/22).
•Scored 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 two games this season scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•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 12 games and is averaging a team-high 15.2 ppg with a team-high 22 3-pointers.
•Has scored 20 or more points three times this season.
•Made 9 of 11 field goals and scored 21 points vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Scored season-high 24 points with four 3-pointers vs. Concordia-St. Paul (12/16/22).
•Grabbed season-high seven rebounds at Upper Iowa (12/10/22).
•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 12 games and is averaging 10.6 ppg and team-high 7.3 rpg.
•Season-high 17 points on 7 of 8 shooting vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Grabbed career-high 15 rebounds at Wayne State (12/3/22).
•Recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Sioux Falls (11/22/22).
•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 played 10 games with seven starts and is averaging 3.4 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Scored seven points vs. Concordia-St. Paul (16/16/22).
•Scored eight points with two 3-pointers 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 two game this season scoring four points and grabbing six rebounds vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•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 5-2 at home this season after finishing 6-5 at home in 2021-22. SMSU has a home record of 114-61 since Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 3-2 in road/neutral site games this season, is 99-108 in 207 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    5-2    44.3    37.0    82.1    34.4    69.3    9.3    
Away    3-2    48.5    33.3    69.2    32.8    65.8    16.4    

    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 246-108 (.694) in 354 games with 22 winning and four losing seasons all-time.
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    5-2    3-1    2-1
    Totals    246-108    162-81    84-27

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU is a combined 43-27 versus North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished with 3-3 mark versus NSIC North Division teams in 2021-22.
•SMSU recorded 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.  

    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.

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 700 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 391-433 in 824 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
•SMSU is in its 56th season of men's basketball in 2022-23.
•SMSU has played 1,526 games compiling an all-time record of 705-821.
•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.