THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (10-5, 6-4 NSIC) opens an important four-game home stand this weekend with a pair of games versus two of the top teams from the NSIC North Division.
•SMSU will take on No. 20 ranked MSU Moorhead (13-3, 8-2 NSIC) on Friday night with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m. before entertaining Northern State University (13-3, 9-1 NSIC) on Saturday with game time slated for 5:30 p.m. Both games will take place at the R/A Facility on the SMSU campus.
•SMSU, which has won six of its last eight games, will be playing at home for the first time since Dec. 19.
•Northern State, which received votes in this week's NABC Top 25 poll, moved into first place in the NSIC North standings on Tuesday night earning a 72-71 road win over MSU Moorhead. NSU enters the weekend having won seven straight games, while MSUM had its 10-game winning streak snapped.  
•SMSU is a combined 44-28 versus NSIC North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season.
•Following this weekend, SMSU will host St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 20-21. Starting next weekend, the final 10 NSIC doubleheaders will feature the men's game first, followed by the women's game.  

    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 215-170, including 144-133 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 15.1 ppg while connecting on a team-high 22 3-pointers while ranking second with 19 steals.
•SMSU lead the NSIC (league games only) in scoring defense (62.4) and opponent field goal pct. (39.4) and ranks last in scoring offense (63.4).
•Junior Jake Phipps is scoring 11 ppg, while shooting 57 percent from the field and leading the team averaging 6.8 rebounds per game
•Senior Anthony Costello is averaging 10.9 ppg and has made 18 3-pointers.
•Junior Cliff McCray is scoring 8.2 ppg and has dished out a team-leading 52 assists.
•Freshman Mason Lund, who missed last weekend's two games due to injury, is tied for second on the team with 17 3-pointers and is averaging 7.7 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-0.3 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 67 points per game, while opponents are averaging 62 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•SMSU tied a season-low with 57 points in last Friday's loss at UMary.
•Jake Phipps' 10 field goals made last Friday at UMary tied for the highest by an SMSU player this season.
•In the Division II national statistics (Jan. 11), SMSU ranks seventh in fouls per game (13.2), 12th in field goal pct. defense (39.1), 14th in scoring defense (61.6), 15th in 3-point field goal pct. defense (28.4) and 19th in free throw pct. (77.8). Dunwa Omot ranks 31st in free throw pct. (88.9).
•SMSU has played outstanding defense late in games during an eight-game stretch since Dec. 9 limiting opponents to less than 33 percent shooting from the field in the second half in six of eight games.
    *SMSU opponents' second half shooting percentage (last eight games)
        -at Winona State (26.7); at Upper Iowa (27.3); vs. Concordia-St. Paul (30.8); vs. Minnesota State (44.8);
        vs. Northland (32.3); at Sioux Falls (28.1); at UMary (48.0); at Minot State (31.3)
•True freshman Mason Lund missed last weekend's two games due to an injury.
•Phipps ranks fifth in team history in field goal pct. (56.6, 355 of 627) and is sixth in blocked shots (95).
•Senior Anthony Costello has scored 941 career points in 94 combined games at Dakota State (2018-20) and SMSU (2021-23). He scored 551 points in 52 games at DSU and has scored 390 in 42 games at SMSU.
•Omot ranks second in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (49.1, 79 of 161).
•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.

    MUSTANGS SPLIT TWO ROAD GAMES LAST WEEKEND
•SMSU split a pair of road games versus NSIC North Division teams last weekend, losing 62-57 to UMary on Friday, before earning a 65-63 victory over Minot State on Saturday.
•Jake Phipps led the Mustangs with a season-high 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting in the setback to UMary. The Mustangs led 57-51 with five minutes left in the game before the Marauders answered with an 11-0 run to close the game.
•UMary held a 37-25 rebound advantage, including 15 offensive rebounds.
•In the win over Minot State, Dunwa Omot made a pair of free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give the Mustangs the victory. Omot scored a game-high 14 points with six rebounds to lead the way.
•Cliff McCray scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high nine rebounds.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MSU MOORHEAD
•SMSU and MSU Moorhead meet for the 106th time with MSUM leading 60-45 in a series that started during the 1968-69 season.
•The two teams are playing for the first time since Feb. 7, 2020.
•MSUM leads 25-24 in games played in Marshall, including winning the last game played on Feb. 7, 2020.
•MSUM has won 10 of the last 16 games since the 2009-10 season.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 6-10 all-time versus MSUM.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS NORTHERN STATE
•SMSU and Northern State meet for the 100th time with NSU leading 68-31 in series that started in 1972-73.
•NSU has won the last six games and eight of the last nine. SMSU's lone victory during the current stretch came in Aberdeen, S.D., on Jan. 27, 2018.
•NSU has won 12 the last 15 meetings overall since the 2014-15 season.
•NSU leads 26-19 in games played in Marshall, including the previous three inside the R/A Facility. SMSU's last victory in Marshall came on Nov. 19, 2015.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-13 all-time versus NSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 18.

    SCOUTING MSU MOORHEAD
•The Dragons are 13-3 overall, 8-2 NSIC, but had its 10-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with the one-point home loss to Northern State. MSUM has lost twice to NSU and to No. 3 Black Hills State (S.D.) this season.
•MSUM ranks No. 1 in Division II in turnovers per game (8.9).
•Senior forward Jaden Stanley-Williams led the Dragons on Tuesday night with 16 points with four 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds.
•Sophomore guard Jacob Beeninga is averaging a team-high 15.9 points with a team-high 44 3-pointers.
•Senior guard Lorenzo McGhee averages 14 ppg and ranks second on the team in rebounding at 5.6 rpg.
•Junior forward Dane Zimmer leads the team with 7.6 rpg and is shooting 66 percent from the field.
•MSUM is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 72 percent from the free throw line and is plus-6.3 in rebound margin.
•MSUM is averaging79 points per game, while opponents are averaging 66 points per game.
•Head coach Tim Bergstraser is in his first season with a record of 13-3. He was an assistant coach at MSUM for four seasons prior to taking over as head coach.  
 
    SCOUTING NORTHERN STATE
•The Wolves, 13-3 overall, 9-1 NSIC, will play at Sioux Falls on Friday night. NSU earned its seventh straight win on Tuesday defeating MSU Moorhead, 72-71, closing the game on a 7-1 run in the final 2:34.
•NSU ranks fifth in Division II in 3-pointers per game (11.2) and sixth in turnovers per game (9.9).
•Sophomore forward Jacksen Moni scored a game-high 26 points on 11 of 16 shooting with three 3-pointers.
•Senior guard Sam Mason is scoring a team-leading 17.6 ppg with 105 assists and averaging a team-high 7.3 rpg. He is shooting 55 percent from the field with 21 3-pointers.  
•Moni averages 16.2 ppg with 37 3-pointers.
•Senior guard Augustin Reede has made a team-high 45 3-pointers and is scoring 10.6 ppg.  
•NSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, 79 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.9 in rebound margin.
•NSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 points per game.
•Head coach Saul Phillips is in his fourth season with a record of 78-22. He has 293 career victories after serving as head coach at North Dakota State (2007-14) and Ohio University (2014-19).

    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.
•Omot has reached the mark four times this season and five times in his career, Phipps has reached 20 points once this season and seven times in his career, while Costello's lone 20-point game occurred earlier this season.
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    UMary, 1/6/23
    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    Sioux Falls, 12/31/22
    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 12 games with five starts and is averaging 6.7 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 nine games with four starts.
•Scored career-high 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting at Minot State (1/7/23).
•Grabbed career-high six rebounds vs. Minnesota State (12/17/22).
•Played in 15 games with two starts last season.
•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 15 games with seven starts and is averaging 10.9 ppg and 3.7 rpg.  
•Has scored double figures in 10 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 missed the last two games with an injury.
•Has played in 13 games with six starts and is averaging 7.7 ppg and 3.7 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 15 games and is scoring 8.2 ppg and leads the team with 52 assists.
•Season-high 10 rebounds and scored 11 points for second career double-double at Minot State (1/7/23).
•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 14 games with one start and is averaging 4.7 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 15 games and is averaging a team-high 15.1 ppg with a team-high 22 3-pointers.
•Has scored 20 or more points four 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 15 games and is averaging 11 ppg and a team-high 6.8 rpg.
•Poured in season-high 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting at UMary (1/6/23).
•Scored 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.
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    SAM SCHWARTZ NOTES
•Has played 12 games with seven starts and is averaging 3.1 ppg and 1.7 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 2022-23
•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 5-3 in road/neutral site games this season, is 101-100 in 210 road/neutral site games during the Bigler era.
        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    5-3    48.2    33.1    72.2    31.8    64.4    14.6     

    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 44-28 versus North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season, including 1-1 this season.
•SMSU finished with 3-3 mark versus NSIC North Division teams in 2021-22. SMSU was 3-5 record versus the NSIC North teams 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-plus seasons of conference play (Jan. 7, 2023), the NSIC South holds a 332-246 advantage over NSIC North teams since divisions were formed in 2012-13. The North leads 9-7 through one weekend of play this season.
•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 703 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 last scored 100 points in a game on 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 has not played an overtime game this season after finishing 3-1 a season ago. SMSU's last overtime game was a  60-55 victory over Wayne State in Marshall on Feb. 17, 2022.
•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 393-434 in 827 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), two NSIC South Division titles (2016-17) and (2017-18) and two tournament championships (2012) and (2017).

    MUSTANG HISTORY
•SMSU is in its 56th season of men's basketball in 2022-23.
•SMSU has played 1,529 games compiling an all-time record of 707-822.
•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.